To Wash It All Away
by Crystal Echoes
Summary: I would have been spared the pain, but I would have missed the dance. A dedication for those who have loved and lost.
1. One

**To Wash It All Away  
****Original Story by Crystal Echoes  
****Re-Edited by Crystal Echoes and TotalLunar Eclipse**

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The opportunity for great love comes with great risk and the possibility for great loss…

…love anyway.

This story is dedicated to those who risked and lost.

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**One**

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Kagome fell on her knees as she shook with her sobs. "Inuyasha." She whimpered his name several times before resting her hand on the cold textured wall of the well before digging her nails deeply into the rotted wood and dirt ignoring the deep pain in her back as long as she could.

Looking down she could barely make out a spot of dark blood contrasting the white clothing she wore just above her left breast because of the darkness of her location.

Her hand shook as she raised it at the knowledge of a foreign object in her body. Reaching back over her shoulder she felt the thin wood protrude from her skin.

'_How am I still alive?'_ She thought to herself as she wrapped her hand around the aged wood and with a strangled gasp and a hard yank she drew it out of her body bringing it before her. The tip of the arrow was full of her blood and she grit her teeth as she held it tight in her fist before it snapped in half dissolving into lilac sparkles that extinguished themselves leaving her once again in darkness surrounded by the musty smell of aged wood and moss.

Her hand curled into a fist as she pounded it into the wall of the well, dirt and brick breaking off under the extreme forced she used. "How could you?" She half screamed half sobbed as the air around seemed to chill considerably.

Just as she was about to beat into the wall again she stopped, fist uncurling to rest flat against the old earth as she bowed her head resting it against her knees letting the tears finally come fourth with all their desolate glory.

Eventually she wiped her eyes with the back of her hand and stood deciding it did no good to just sit here at the bottom of the well. She'd better get out before her grandfather decided to come in and throw sacramental sake or set some sutras on fire and toss them in the well. She wasn't in the mood to be bathed in alcohol and have her hair lit on fire.

Kagome reached up placing her hand on the lower rung of the ladder as a sigh escaped her lips. _'I've been gone too long this time.'_ Even the thought of putting on her old uniform and going to school seemed foreign to her. But she couldn't sit at the bottom of this well very much longer eventually she would have to come out.

Kagome looked up the shaft of the well to the ceiling of the well house. _'Better get this over with._' She reached the top of the well walking slowly up the steps before she placed her hand on the door letting out one last sigh before sliding it open. The orange setting of the sun welcomed her to a place that had almost become a passing dream.

She almost wished it was raining.

As she walked towards the house she refused to look at the god tree, ignoring the tendrils of power that itched her way making its presence known. She wouldn't see a reminder of that life nor hear the melodious nightmarish laughter mocking her failure.

A light gust of wind reminded her that the back of her white haori was still soaked in blood she knew would be more cause of unwarranted distress on her mother's part. Still she held her chin up high as she walked into the back of the house prepared for the screaming, yelling and gasps of surprise. If that would be their welcome to her then she deserved it.

At least she was home, and this time would never leave her family in the dark again.

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Mrs. Higurashi waltzed into the kitchen with an armful of dishes precariously held. She shivered at the sudden chill in the air that was unusual for this time of year. She let out a light sigh as she placed the dishes on the counter hearing the back door open letting in more of the unwanted cold air. "Please close the door Souta."

The door shut quietly and Mrs. Higurashi was content her now preteen boy had the respect to still listen to his mother. Most young men nowadays were more rebellious, not her little Souta, "Thank you."

"You're welcome… mama."

She had been filling the sink with the soiled dishes when the soft whisper of her daughter's voice stilled her action. Her head turned to the side as her eyes confirmed that she was not alone. "K… Kagome? My god is that you?" She prayed the woman standing at her backdoor with her head bowed was not her daughter, she prayed it would be someone else.

"It's me… mama." Kagome whispered as she raised her head just slightly to see watch her mother drop the dishes in the sink, a couple of the ceramic pieces shattering. She visibly winced at the loud offending sound that seemed to echo in her head.

Mrs. Higurashi covered her mouth. It had been weeks, months since they had last seen their daughter as she departed out of their grasp though the darkness of an old well. Everyone had begun to lose hope in ever seeing her again…

But now before her stood her eldest child, only by voice did she recognize the woman before her. She fell to the ground on her knees looking up at her precious daughter that dawned the traditional garbs of a miko, dark spots splattered on her clothing here and there. Her head was tilted downwards hiding her face from her, "Kagome... look at me." She said firmly.

Kagome slowly looked up dreading the reaction she'd have to witness. "Mama please don't cry." Kagome saw the woman's tears and her body shaking and she took a step back unknowing how to comfort her mother coming up against the glass and wood panel of the back door. If she didn't stop Kagome reasoned she had an easy way out, but leaving was the last thing on her mind right now.

"You've been gone for months." Mrs. Higurashi finally let out a chocked sob, "We didn't know whether you were alive or not… what did they do to you Kagome!"

Kagome had never heard her mother yell anything in her life, the woman was beyond patient. "I'm sorry mama." Kagome whispered dropping to her knees on the ground.

"Hey mom what's up?" Souta came into the kitchen and knelt by his mother who seemed a bit out of it. He heard the sound of some dishes breaking and thought she had hurt herself. He turned his head wondering what his mother could be doing staring blankly at the back door like that. "Kagome?" Souta had once before seen Kagome wearing that kind of stuff, but he wasn't even sure it was his sister, "Is that you sis?"

"Souta…" Kagome whispered his name again, her young little brother she missed so dearly.

He blinked at the sound of her voice whispering his name. Souta looked into her face, then her hair and eyes that were vastly different from the last time he had seen his sister, "Kagome why are you a demon?"

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"How is she Akiko?" An aged man called up to his daughter as she slowly walked down the steps.

Her soft brown eyes looked down at her elderly father partly noting the stacks of aged scrolls before him, "She's been awake, just sitting there." Mrs. Higurashi sat down on the edge of the couch before running her fingers through her short hair. There was little she could do to help the girl, and as a mother it made her feel helpless. "I should never have let her go otou-san."

"Akiko, blaming yourself will do nothing for you and most definitely nothing for Kagome." He set the old scroll aside giving his daughter a stern look. "You know your daughter as well as I know my granddaughter. Kagome would have found a way into the past." He stood up and placed a reassuring hand on her shoulder, "What happened has already happened and there is nothing we can do about it."

Akiko sighed and wiped the tears from her eyes. "I know."

"Kagome needs you to be strong. You must break her from her shell before she withers away into nothing. Help her cope with what she is, what she has become. We need to accept her and love her."

Akiko's mouth was almost hung open hearing those words come out of her father's mouth. She had not heard him speak like that since her mother's passing many years ago.

Akiko nodded to her father as she stood up walking into the bath house. She brushed the shoji doors aside turning on the warm waters of the enormous bath. The days had been unusually cold for this time of year so she drew up a very hot bath. Plumes of mist rose out of the waters until she was satisfied that it would entice her daughter out of her room. After placing soothing candles and laying out all necessary sponges and lotions she simply walked into her daughter's room and gently took the girls hand silently urging her to follow.

Kagome stood up following her as though she were posing a doll, a person with no spirit left in their body. She just sat in the tub staring blankly at the wall in front of her for a long time before Akiko brought in a stool and sat beside her daughter.

"Mama?" Kagome whispered softly without looking at her or blinking just staring forward. She sounded as though she were far away. Kagome was either a million miles from here, or five hundred years in the past reliving whatever nightmare brought her to this state.

It was a mother's worse nightmare, being helpless against their child's suffering. Kagome had stayed shut in her room for the past week neither sleeping or eating, even her favorite meal of oden couldn't coax the girl to coming out or even moving for that matter as the chill of the air signified her sorrow. Kagome simply stayed quiet, eyes forward while her family gave her the space to silently grieve. Kagome had hidden herself in a shell and threw away the key.

Her daughter, Kagome Akoya Higurashi was gone.

A demoness Kagome sat before her.

Broken and tortured.

"It'll be okay, I'm here with you." Akiko ran her fingers through the girl's hair as she used to do when she was but a child awakening from a nightmare brushing a tendril of hair behind a sharply pointed ear.

But this was no nightmare Kagome would be awakening from any time soon.

In a fast blurred motion, faster than her eyes could catch Kagome reached up and grabbed her hand. She was surprised and gasped at the action.

Hearing her mother's voice calling out to her Kagome felt the need to actually reach out and touch her, confirming she wasn't imagining her mother embracing her. Kagome felt shut down, as though her body had exhausted all her tears and emotions to the point she felt nothing at all.

As she held her mother's hand there was a strange scent that she didn't recognize from the candles or lotions. It was a spice scent that she didn't even know was a scent. It hit her like a piquant scent should, without the smell. Kagome turned her head towards her mother and looked beyond the woman's fierce determination, "You're scared of me."

"Kagome." Her mother whispered. "Please don't think like that."

"Don't lie mama." Kagome let go of her mother's hand gently pushing her away. She was sure she was squeezing the life out of the woman's hand but she had no idea. Her muscles, although she was bathing in hot water, were taunt and ready to spring into action in a blink of an eye.

It felt as though if she twitched she'd break something so she opted not to move… for a week straight. Kagome finally looked around the room noting the white washed tile and ornate flowers of the wallpaper. Although she had lived in the house since she was four, everything felt so unfamiliar to her, so foreign…

… so human.

That thought crushed her heart. She was human and she liked being one thank you very much. But the scents, lights, and everything else overwhelmed her, frightened her making her desperate. All she wanted to do was run away from it all, the pain, the smells, everything. Suddenly her hands were filthy and she began to scrub them raw with a sponge but the smell never went away… Why didn't the smell go away!

Maybe she should sleep? Perhaps she'd wake up and this would be over?

"I'm tired." Kagome finally announced as she stood up out of the water. After a week of insomnia and everything else she had to go through Kagome could finally say she was tired of it all.

Akiko stood up when her daughter did and noticed Kagome now surpassed her in height leaving her very small compared to the towering beauty. She looked down at her seventeen year old's fully matured body of a grown woman.

In what was supposed to happen in her young adult life happened within the span of a few months or even less from the girls recent reactions. Kagome was supposed to grow up like her, petite and only subtle curves.

On her pale skin there were a series of faint colored markings around her wrist and ankles that looked as though they were fading in or out. And as she helped Kagome dry her hair she noticed a spider shaped scar on her back off the middle to the side just where her heart should be, it was one she knew her daughter did not have before.

Kagome wrapped a towel around her body listlessly departing the bathroom walking slowly as though in procession back to her room.

Souta had been in his room playing with his game boy when he watched his sister walk by. He walked over to the frame of his door watching his elder sibling as she walked to her room eerily quiet, long hair swaying gently in the movement. His mother gave him a sharp look to stay quiet but she didn't need to tell him twice.

"Goodnight Kagome." Akiko whispered to her daughter before Kagome walked inside her room.

Kagome stopped placing her hand on the frame of her door turning her head to the side looking at her mother, "Thank you." With that she walked into her room and gently shut the door.

Mrs. Higurashi let out a weary sigh placing the tips of her finger on her forehead. It was harder than she imagined it would be to see her in such a state. The slight tugging at her side caught her attention and she looked down to see her younger son staring up at her with worried brown eyes.

"Mama is Kagome going to get… better?" He wasn't sure now to phrase his question without making it sound bad.

"I don't know Souta." She looked at her daughters now closed room noting the lights were not turned on. "I really don't know."

Souta gripped his mother's hand tightly as he leaned into her seeking comfort in her touch even though he was almost eleven. It's just that he had never seen his sister act like this before. Kagome had always been somewhat clumsy and she would often come home wailing about a scratch or some bruise or bump, but her quietness wasn't right. He wondered if she had changed completely, wondered if his Kagome was truly gone forever.

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-All characters are based on the series 'Inuyasha' by Rumiko Takahashi. Any original characters belong to Crystal Echoes and should not be used without permission from the author. Thank you.


	2. Two

_.  
_**To Wash it All Away  
Two**

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She let out a soft sigh as she precariously held onto the large grocery bags as she walked into the house. Using her foot she gently hooked it around the door and pulled it forward to shut it.

"So how did it go?"

She stopped en route to the kitchen and looked at her father who didn't even look up from the old book he had been engrossed in for the past week to ask her a question. "I'm still not sure I should take her to the doctor dad."

"Perhaps it's best that way."

Akiko let out a sigh, "Isn't there anything in those books that… I don't know… something?"

He looked up from his book to stare at her with beady eyes, "Whatever did this was powerful and not even I have a powerful enough relic that could turn her back into a human."

Akiko merely nodded. "I should go check on her soon."

"She's still asleep."

"You checked on her, thank you." She set her keys on the counter slipping her shoes off after having to take her son to school. Setting the groceries in the kitchen she was about to put them away but decided she'd check on the girl first. Akiko stood at the bottom of the steps and bit her lip wondering if she should just let the Kagome sleep.

She cracked the girls door open noting the shade was drawn and the room was almost completely dark. Kagome was sitting on her bed hugging her knees with her cheek set on them and eyes closed. Dear was this how she was sleeping? Akiko walked inside reaching out to touch her shoulder hopefully settling the girl in a lying down position to sleep rather than this way.

When she touched her shoulder Kagome's eyes snapped open, she took a step back from her daughter upset at herself for waking the girl. "Kagome?"

Kagome had been in and out of consciousness. There was darkness within her sleep patiently waiting for her and Kagome was too scared to give herself fully into it. She was vaguely aware that her grandfather had opened the door to her room peering inside and she lost track of time until now that her mother was in her room. She looked up at her, "Mama?"

Akiko stared into her daughters hollow eyes, as though life itself had been taken away from a beautiful misty meadow leaving behind caverns of emptiness. She wondered if Kagome was too broken to return back to the way things were, if that was even possible.

"You shouldn't sleep that way." Akiko sat down on the edge of the bed ignoring the way Kagome's eyes gave her dark chills more than the coolness of the room. Running her fingers through her daughter's soft hair caused her lip to twitch upwards in a comforting smile. "Do you want some tea sweetheart?"

"No." Kagome gave her mother a rueful smile, "Thanks."

Mrs. Higurashi brushed the longer strands of hair already knowing the one thing that could have caused Kagome this much mental distress. The physical part she would have to wait until Kagome herself explained. While she was brushing the girl's hair she took note Kagome stared at her hair with a shocked expression.

Kagome grabbed the hair her mother was twirling in her fingers staring at the snowy white tresses. Was this hers!

"Kagome, don't you even know what you look like?"

Kagome met her mother's eyes as she slowly shook her head in the negative. "I… didn't want to look."

Akiko turned around noting Kagome's mirror was covered in a towel.

"I'm afraid to." Kagome whispered with a small quiver in her voice making her sound like a small child fearful of their first day in school.

Akiko stood up taking Kagome's hands urging her to stand. Kagome uncurled herself from the wall she had been plastered against for the past week and stood up towering over her small frame by over a foot. She led the girl towards her mirror reaching out gripping the edge of the towel looking at her daughter's fearful expression. "You don't have to do this Kagome, not right now if you don't want to."

"No… I think I should." She whispered, even the sound of her own voice detached as her eyes stared into the towel. She felt anxious and frightened at the same time. This would finally lay her fear to rest and confirm that which she didn't want to know. Her mother must have sensed her mixed emotions and warned her not to look but she nodded for her to go on.

Her mother lightly tugged the towel and it slipped off the edge of the mirror pooling to the ground. Her breath caught as she looked disbelievingly into the mirror at her own reflection. "This can't be me?"

Kagome reached out touching the mirror. Her face was hers but… not. It was a bit longer, slender with graceful curves lacking the rounded young face she had before. Her skin was pale white, as though carved from ivory as the geishas of times of old painted their faces.

And surrounding her face flowing down her back were long tendrils of silken white hair tinted with a layer of silver like a spiders silk caught in the sunlight. With a shaky hand she reached up and tucked a stray hair behind a tipped elfish ear.

Oh gods…

Tipped ear?

She touched the tip softly causing her to shudder as though it tickled. The ear twitched at the top and she dropped her hands when her something caught her eyes. Holding out her hands she looked down at the delicate almost dainty claws on slender fingers. On her wrists were a pair of sparking silver that almost met like a bracelet, the same pattern followed her ankles. She looked up to her face and noted there were no stripes on her face, except for a prominent silver lining over her eyes. It really was beautiful.

Her eyes had taken the most disturbing change. They were the iciest blue she had ever seen before with animal like black slits in the middle… animal.

She was human no longer.

Her eyes were so frosty it made her shiver more than the coolness of the room. She shuddered as her skin broke out in goose bumps from the mere thought of that deep blue. Kagome took a step back and looked at herself. It was the epitome of stoicism, arrogant and perfect.

How could she look like that?

Kagome closed her eyes turning around. Without looking she had known what had happened to her, but seeing it in the mirror was confirmation. She grit her teeth balling her fists as anger settled in. This isn't what she wanted. She was just a normal seventeen year old girl still going through school. Now, she was far from that. Kagome knew what this meant, life as she knew it was officially over.

After bottling her feelings for a week a tear finally welled in her eyes spilling into a trail over a white cheek. She sank to the ground bowing her head in shame as her mother sat right besides her.

Akiko knelt besides her daughter and allowed the girl to lunge out wrapping her arms around her neck to cry into her shoulder.

"Mama, I'm a demon!"

She nodded once holding her demon daughter in her arms, "I know honey."

"Is that why you are afraid of me?"

"I can never be afraid of you." She held her firmly, "It was just not expected."

Kagome finally sank into the realization that everything was over, not just the small scants chance at a normal life but her alternate life in the warring era. No more Sango and their late night bath's, no more Miroku and his voyeuristic ways and Shippou cuddling her side.

And no more Inuyasha.

"Let it go Kagome." Her mother whispered softly in her ear feeling the sorrow of her beautiful girl in waves of cold as those forgotten empty eyes. Not forgotten but tossed away without second thought.

"Mama." Kagome whispered in a sultry voice completely not her own.

Akiko nodded, "I'm here."

"It's all over." Kagome closed her eyes

It was laced with grief and a shaky sob. "It's over… all over." Kagome opened her eyes and finally forced herself to remember the nightmare that called to haunt her dreams.

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The day was giving into night in a splendor of red and orange hues dotted with thick clouds that could bring about the much needed rains for the rice fields. Kagome looked up into the skies smiling as she took in the brisk air. This place really was quite beautiful, free from smog and crowded by people and cars. She always liked the Sengoku Jidai, enjoyed sleeping under the stars and traveling through far off places in days of past.

She turned her head towards Inuyasha that was standing with his back turned from the cliff looking towards the surrounding fields and villages. She had to marvel at the sight he made, standing proudly in bold red as his long silver hair fluttered in the winds. His stern expression and hands behind his back posture seemed to give a regal air about him, steeliness and inner strength that was strong as the molten color of his eyes and the heritage in which he came from.

Usually she could always gauge her best friend's moods. Hell it wasn't that hard, if he was pissed everyone knew and so would some of the forest. But right now she had no idea if he was mad, or pissed, or even terribly worried. His lack of reaction was getting to her and she could never sit still in this kind of uncomfortable silence.

"Inuyasha." Kagome whispered, "I'm sorry." She immediately bowed her head knowing he was upset at her because she had thrown herself in a fight far from his protection. She even left without telling anyone where she was going and almost got herself killed. Kagome reached out absently picking at the grass from her kneeling position. A nervous habit she had picked up from Rin out of all people.

When the silence drew on Kagome tilted her head upwards wondering why Inuyasha had been attempting to get her alone with him if all he was going to do nothing but just stand there. There was seriousness in those gold eyes making Kagome wonder what was wrong with him, he was not one to stop and think for long amounts of time.

Kagome stared at his long silvery mane envious of his beautiful locks. _'How come all the guys have great hair?'_ She grumbled to herself internally trying to get the uneasiness out of her system. When he finally did turn around she was caught off guard and stilled at the unusual expression he was giving her. There was a seriousness denoting that he was really debating something within his mind.

"Kagome." Inuyasha let out a sigh resuming his view of the villages rather than the woman sitting on the grass. "You shouldn't have done that you know."

Kagome blinked at the reprimand. It was like a tiny slap on the wrist for what she was expecting. Perhaps if she waited he would blow up at her and everything would be relatively normal again.

"Inuyasha, it's not like I had to go. I wanted to go." Kagome plucked a stray flower from the ground holding up to the slowly diminishing light, "I mean it's all over now, right?"

Inuyasha looked over his shoulder smiling at her. "Yeah Kagome. It's all over."

She returned his smile, "I know everyone is mad at me but they're just going to have to get over it and get on with their lives." Kagome said with finality. They could move on without the constant threat that had always hung about them. So what if they didn't have their vengeance, she had given them closure.

"Yea I guess."

He let out a sigh and she looked up at him seeing his odd expression return. "I'm ok Inuyasha, really." She had been returned to Inuyasha and the others wounded but her wounds could and would heal soon. "I'll be just fine."

"What are you going to do now?" He asked.

Kagome let out a sigh dropping the blue flower she had been looking at onto the grass. She looked down placing her hand on the now complete shikkon no tama. The pinkish white or orb was eerily calm looking no more harmless than a nickel marble. At least now Naraku was nothing more than a bad dream, a charred spider in a lonely field.

She had to do it, she just had to. For the sake of those she loved. Kagome knew that Sango and Miroku were to be married once Naraku was dispelled releasing Miroku from the curse that took his father and his grandfather. Shippou had been growing at an astonishing rate right before everyone's eyes. Then not too long after he had almost surpassed Kagome in height the young man announced proudly he was getting to be an adult. Of course this is where Inuyasha snorted. And her little Shippou needed to go out and find lands and a mate all for himself.

Everyone agreed that Naraku was drawing their lives out too long with his malice. They needed to put a stop to it.

And well… Kagome did.

It was now time to move on and Kagome hadn't really given much thought about her own life because she had been entertained with Sango and Miroku watching their relationship blossom before her eyes and her small little kitsune announcing his real age.

Now she was faced to figure out what she was going to do. She looked up with uncertain eyes to her hanyou companion. Inuyasha had given her the shikkon no tama to do with as she saw fit. It was hers to protect or to destroy if she wanted to.

Kagome knew one thing for certain; this orb had come to the end of its usefulness. It had been the cause for everything as far back as fifty years when the burnt Onigumo lusted for it and the priestess who carried it. It had been around even longer than that having Sango's ancestors protecting it to the point they could no longer keep it pure.

And now… they didn't need it anymore.

This of course presented a problem. What wish could one make that would be completely and utterly unselfish? She shook her head, the tama didn't work that way it was the harbinger of death and taker of life. She simply had to destroy it.

But destroying it would mean staying here forever because the well wouldn't work for her on the other side. But could she give up flushable toilets and hot water, and school… her family? Kagome looked up at Inuyasha, would she give everything up for him?

"I guess I could go home and get on with my life."

"No." Inuyasha turned sharply, hair whipping in the winds. "I mean…" He faltered as he fell down on one knee before her.

Kagome gasped as he took her hand squeezing it hard. _'What was going on?'_ She had seen this expression before; it wasn't when he was looking at her. It was reserved for when he thought or was with Kikyou. It had been the reason Kagome didn't think she could stay here. He had the past that still bound him to another. His eyes seemed to almost go through her and she felt hollow beside the memory of her incarnation until he spoke the next words that left her speechless.

"Will you stay here, with me?"

Kagome was all but stunned he would be forthright and ask her. She stared into his firm eyes patiently waiting an answer. Her heart raced as she blinked a few times wondering if this was all just a beautiful dream. Was he really asking her what she thought he was asking her?

Well it was too late for Inuyasha to take it back. Kagome all but threw her arms around his neck as she rammed into him almost shoving him backwards. "Yes!" She hugged him good and hard as tears fell from her eyes.

After a moment he gently pushed her backwards and she leaned away from his roughish face, a dark blush deepening as she watched him lean forward whispering her name placing a soft kiss on her lips.

His lips were soft and firm and she reveled in the first kiss that he had instigated between them. She heard a deep growl coming from her hanyou companion before he deepened their kiss, roughly wrapping an arm around her waist as the other gripped her thigh squeezing it none too lightly. It was more forceful than she would have enjoyed but it made Kagome romantic and passionate. She sighed into the kiss half closing her eyes dreamily as her body… began to react. She felt embarrassed when the tips of her breasts began to ache and warmth pooled in the pit of her stomach before realizing it was spreading. Then the dreamy state burst like a balloon pierced by a pin when he bit her lower lip puncturing the soft flesh inside her mouth as his talons dug deeply into her thigh breaking skin.

She had heard some people like it… well rough. Kagome decided she wasn't one of those people. "You're hurting me." Kagome tried to pull away but found out that he wouldn't let her. He quieted her with a bruising kiss that was suffocating. After a moment hearing his growl Kagome felt herself shut down, placid and compliant to his demand as she stiffened waiting for it to end. It wasn't sweet or romantic, it was a warning. After a moment he abruptly pulled away letting go of her waist taking his hand off of her thigh.

She reached up brushing her lips with the tips of her fingers looking down to see a few drops of blood. Kagome licked her lips the coppery taste none to pleasant for her taste.

"Did I... hurt you?" Inuyasha stared at her lip scooting back a bit realizing what he had just done to her. "Kagome, I tried to put everything into that… I'm sorry."

Kagome reached out taking his hand just in case he decided to flee from her thinking he had harmed her instead of kissed her. Her heart raced wildly at what had just occurred but she quieted herself down quickly giving Inuyasha a watery smile to still those wide golden eyes. She had to remember that demons half or not had a certain way of passion. She would just have to learn, Inuyasha would just have to teach her.

With her free hand she brushed one of his long strands of hair behind his red clad shoulder, "I'm fine Inuyasha." She gave him a soft smile as she lied more to herself than for his sake, "Thank you."

Inuyasha nodded once before he stood up taking her hand by the wrist pulling her up with him. They walked back to the village in silence, no jabbering on about how her family would react or how their friends would take the news. Kagome was both ecstatic and baffled at the same time as he kept a possessive arm around her shoulders releasing her when they arrived in the village.

She felt a bit of elation seeing her friends just ahead pulling her from the oddity of the situation with Inuyasha. Miroku leaned over Sango whispering something in her ear in turn Sango blushed crimson shoving him away from her. Kagome smiled when Sango turned around looking straight at her before rushing over to her side.

"Are you alright, you shouldn't be up if you're not well." Sango took her hands and began to do a visual examination of sorts.

Kagome swatted her hands, "Sango I'm fine." Her eyes scanned the crowd around her trying to locate someone.

"He left just after Inuyasha took you into the forest." Sango leaned over whispering into her ear.

"That's too bad, I wanted to say thank you." Kagome let out a sigh. It was ok he didn't need to stay around for her sake.

"Say, what were you two doing in the forest alone anyways?"

"Sango, Inuyasha wants me to stay here with him."

"Really?" Sango took Kagome's hands giving her a huge smile, "That's great news. I'm so happy for you."

"Yeah, me too." Kagome smiled somehow feeling a bit off to the idea. Why wasn't she acting happy and giddish like Sango was?

This is what she wanted, right?

Kagome shook her head from those thoughts, "Well you and Kohaku can be a family again."

"We all can Kagome." Sango took her hands giving her a smile before looking over her shoulder towards a young boy that was standing against a fence beside Miroku who had an arm draped over his shoulder pointing at some pretty girl in the village whispering something to the youth. Kohaku blushed madly coughing into his hand.

Miroku the notorious hentai teaching tactics? Exasperating.

Kagome turned to the side towards the voiced out explicative that came from none other than Inuyasha who was glaring down the now teenage kitsune who stood staring up at him with a mixture of disbelief and confusion. Did her cute little Shippou ask Inuyasha for help?

Just peachy, two idiots teaching useless tactics.

There would be hell tonight by many women of the village, demon or not.

Kagome really wanted to stay this is what she had been wanting for a long time. But why was her mind so full of regret? Right now she just had to go home and talk to her mom. Everything was just so… sudden. She could slip away unnoticed for a couple of hours while the festivities were going on. The night sky was ebbing away into darkness and the end of Naraku marked the beginning of festivities in the small village for both demons and humans.

Kagome had to wonder about Kouga though. He of course was here with a few of his pack and Kagome knew he was going to stay to get Inuyasha riled up but to her complete and utter astonishment he didn't. He had taken her hands in his habitual manner, kissed her on the cheek upsetting said hanyou and left earlier this morning with his pack to the southern lands were the rest of his tribe lived up in the mountains. Kagome wondered about his distant attitude but shrugged it off as non consequential. At least she'd have some personal space without Kouga here and they could spare a couple of the huts because of Inuyasha's and Kouga's constant fighting.

While Inuyasha was in a heated discussion _*ahem*_ argument with Shippou on how to properly ask a woman out on a date she excused herself from Sango who was more preoccupied with her excitement with Miroku and Kohaku to notice her absence. Kagome took a few silent steps backwards away from her friend before she turned heading towards the hut at the bottom of the stairs that would lead her to the bone eaters well.

She bowed to a couple of people who tried to shove sake her way but she respectfully declined. Although she was an adult to standards here she wasn't at home, and by Kami if her mother found out she would have at one of her long lectures.

Kagome bumped into someone as she almost made it to the stairs, "Kaede." She reached out hugging the elder priestess whom had been nothing less than a good friend and confidant.

"What are ye doing away from the others child?" Kaede noticed she was alone as the village held their festivities.

"Well I had to come and thank you for everything."

"Are ye leaving us child?"

Kagome opened her mouth but said nothing when thunder rumbled through the air. Instead she smiled knowing Kaede knew the truth. "I need to see my family."

Kaede nodded understanding something Kagome wasn't showing, "Go child, I will not tell Inuyasha where ye are." The elder priestess looked up when a drop of rain hit beside her, "His nose will not work so well in the moist rain."

Kagome gave Kaede her thanks as she rushed into the hut gathering a few things stuffing them in her pack. She figured she could dump off her dirty laundry and get some clean clothes, probably bring back some ramen if Inuyasha did find out she had gone home. Ramen always seemed to make him happy and forgetful.

When she finished packing she stopped and reached up placing the tips of her fingers on her bottom lip. For some reason this bothered her even though there were four tiny crescent marks on her thigh where he had sank his claws. Somehow… this bothered her a lot. She took her hand off her lips as though it had suddenly burned her shaking her head off as though it was nothing. It wasn't as though it wouldn't heal in a couple days anyway.

Kagome grabbed her pack hoisting it over her shoulder rushing past the flap of the door only to stop dead in her place at the intimidating sight of Sesshoumaru taking up the whole doorframe. She gripped the wood pulling herself into a complete stop before she undignified the both of them plowing him over.

Sesshoumaru stared into her eyes with a hint of un-amused boredom as Kagome backed away from him. The taiyoukai was a sight to behold, especially in the light rain, the quickening darkness contrasted against the white of his character made him stand out. Although he had been a distant traveling companion this past week and somewhat of a gentleman unlike his unruly half brother the whole sadistic murderer who tried to kill them over and over again still made her wary of him.

As the silence between them waged on Kagome averted her eyes anywhere but him. You could only look at his morning colored eyes for so long. She did catch sight of Rin sitting on a rock trying to fold a paper crane beside the double headed dragon. Her small tongue was sticking out in deep concentration.

Kagome stepped around the demon lord setting her pack on the ground before she knelt down in front of the small girl, "What are you doing Rin?"

"Nee-chan this is too hard." Rin sighed frustrated beyond belief. She had seen Kagome do it over and over again and still she couldn't do it herself.

Kagome gently took the deranged crane and showed her properly how to fold it. "There you go sweetheart. Now keep this with you so you don't forget me."

"Forget Kagome-chan?" Rin blinked once as though completely abashed with the thought, "Rin will never forget onee-chan."

"And I won't forget little Rin-chan." Kagome had to smile at the cutest little girl she had ever come to know. Rin reached out hugging Kagome around the neck before showing her prize somewhat squished paper crane to Ah Un.

Kagome stood up turning around but finding that Sesshoumaru was once again standing in her way… pretty close for comfort. She wasn't sure why she was this nervous around him. He was an intimidating creature and she should be downright scared of him but he made her _nervous_… and extremely skittish for some reason.

Kagome couldn't even begin to place the complex look in his eyes. She fiddled with the hem on her now damp skirt from the rain as she bowed her head in respect gulping down her anxiety taking a couple steps away from him. "I thought you had left Sesshoumaru-sama." She whispered.

"Rin, go to Jakken."

His eyes never left hers as the little girl grabbed the reigns of the dragon and walked into the woods waving her hand madly around a few times before she disappeared. After Rin was gone he narrowed his eyes sniffing the air inconspicuously.

"It seems you will be the mate of my half brother shortly."

"Wha… how did you…?" Kagome was startled to hear Inuyasha somewhere in the village screaming at presumably Shippou.

"**Well I got Kagome! I think I know what the hell I am doing you stupid kit."**

The blood rushed into her cheeks as she stared into Sesshoumaru's golden eyes. He simply raised an eyebrow and she coughed trying to regain her composure. "Actually Inuyasha was just lucky that I like his furry little ears."

"You are joking." Sesshoumaru stated raising an eyebrow to her.

"Yep, you caught me." Kagome gave him a nervous laugh.

His eyes left hers finding the pack lying on the ground a couple feet away from her, "It seems as though you are about to leave your mate."

"My mate? Oh it's not even official, he just asked me not too long ago. I mean I haven't even told him yes." Kagome let out a sigh knowing she sounded like a complete and utter moron. She closed her eyes gathering her thoughts before whispering her response, "I just need some time to think about it before I give him an answer, that's all."

Sesshoumaru took an elegantly long step forward into some very personal space and Kagome took a couple smaller steps back away from him. He narrowed his eyes taking another pace forward glaring at her as though telling her that this is where he was going to be so she had better get used to it. Kagome gulped down her nervousness having someone this close to her and simply raised her chin so she could look him straight in the eyes even though she really didn't want to.

"If you must leave to think about it, then it is obvious to what your answer is."

You know when he said it things just clicked. Kagome didn't like Sesshoumaru answering her question before she even had time to properly think about it. Then again he was an outsider and had no real bias against if she stayed with Inuyasha or not so his opinion was pretty important. Kagome just never thought that Sesshoumaru would impart his thoughts on matters that had nothing to do with him.

"Still. I have… loose ends to tie up." Kagome let out a sigh thinking of school knowing she was still a few years off of graduating. If she was going to stay, she'd have to leave school altogether.

"Naraku is gone girl, any _'loose ends'_ you may have are insignificant now."

There he goes again, being too good of a voice of reason. She couldn't help but tilt her head to the side while still looking at him raising an eyebrow giving him a mischievous little smile. It was more of a suggestive gesture than she would have ever imagined seeing a single one of his eyebrows arch at her. "My my, someone has an opinion he wants to share."

When his eyes narrowed Kagome's eyes widened realizing she had trodden on prideful ground littered with land mines of rivers of dokkatsu. She bet her math book it wasn't very often Sesshoumaru was willing to impart his knowledge and she would be stupid not to listen, and even dumber to insult._ 'Too late for that.'_

She took a couple steps back nervously playing with her long hair seeing as his eyes never left hers. He arched a brow once again seeing her back away from him and this time giving her a glare he took a step forward right back to where they started like some strange dance only they could play.

"Is there a reason you waste my time not answering my question?"

"Technically you never did ask me a question Sesshoumaru." She watched his serious expression ebb away into something of a questioning uncertain glance. She could tell he wanted to know something it was obvious yet hadn't phrased it into a coherent question but well put statements concerning her and Inuyasha. Plus he was keeping her less than a hands span away from him at all times so she figured he hadn't gotten the answer he was looking for, otherwise he would have left by now as Sango told her or if he had already left Sesshoumaru came back to get his answer… from her.

Something akin to impatience replaced his usual non boredom face before he elaborated for her raising his chin a bit. "You would waste your life with that hanyou?"

"I would give my life to my best friend." Kagome snapped back at him realizing she said _give_, instead of _share_. Her eyes widened at the thought and his all too perceptive eyes caught this.

"Then you feel obligation." He stated flatly.

This time… it wasn't a question. Kagome's lips parted but she remained silent, unable to say anything to counter it. Her heart raced in realization as her mind wandered to this dangerous train of thought. Her chin drooped until she was staring at the spikes in the demon lord's armor instead of his face. _'Does this mean… I don't want to be with Inuyasha? But… but…'_

But nothing… it was as absolute as the crescent moon mark upon Sesshoumaru's forehead.

At first she was upset with him, sending a glare at the empty sleeve that was swaying in the winds. Yet as she stared at the gliding silk she knew that Sesshoumaru's purpose was not to come here and confuse her about her feelings for Inuyasha, quite opposite in fact, Sesshoumaru had clarified the mess that was in her head. This was the reason she was leaving unnoticed by Inuyasha in the light rain… to find answers.

Odd she'd had Sesshoumaru's help to figure it out. _'This… isn't what I want.'_ A quiet little voice in the back of her mind told her and this time she felt complied to listen to reason. She felt lighter and a bit free… what did this all mean?

His quiet presence brought her back into that moment as distant thunder passed. Kagome wondered why Sesshoumaru was still standing here, why he had come to talk to her and if that was even his intention. The dude might have been coming back for something he forgot although all signs were pointing with HUGE red arrows towards her first assumption. _'He came to tell me this.'_ Kagome wanted to ask if she was right, but that would be pearls of wisdom that Sesshoumaru probably wouldn't impart to her.

Eventually once everything settled she realized she was looking at the place where an arm should be, the very arm that Inuyasha had taken off so long ago, "I'm so sorry."

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow to her.

'_What the hell are you apologizing to Sesshoumaru for?'_ Her mind protested. There was just something about these few days around him that made her feel so… inadequate and for some reason she just blurted it out. "For being human." A drop of rainwater trickled down her cheek pooling at her chin before dropping to the ground.

Sesshoumaru stared down at her, his eyebrow raising a millimeter to her odd confession. Of course it sounded strange coming from her, practically as human as one could get.

Her mind was wandering two different ways. One, she had to go home and seal the well. She could regain the life her grandfather had fabricated into illnesses and seclusion. She could even get a real boyfriend, like Hojou. Or two, she could stay here and learn to love Inuyasha. _'More than I already do.' _She thought ruefully to herself as a sad smile crossed her lips, "I may say yes to Inuyasha. If I do I hope the animosity between us can be cleared."

Sesshoumaru raised his hand and she flinched at the action but stilled when he placed it over her shoulder behind her leaning against the wall slightly forward over her small diminutive form. She gulped lightly realizing he had backed her up to the side of Kaede's hut taking the final step back feeling her spine make contact with the unfinished wood. He took yet another step closer to her closing the distance trapping her with his body and hand. His head tilted downwards as he bore his golden gaze upon her and she tilted her head upwards at him. His amber gaze roamed her lips that were parted with his nearness as a drop of rain fell from his tow head of hair to her cheek trickling over her lips running down her chin.

"Miko, nothing has changed." Sesshoumaru whispered to her, the sound coming somewhere from the back of his throat.

Kagome's eyes widened at the sound that was throaty unlike his usual smooth voice. Her heart began to pound wildly aside from the words he had just spoken. His eyes had a tendency to wander down to her lips as though he was either going to kiss her or bite her.

But for some reason his words pierced her more than Inuyasha's bruising kiss.

"I know what you're saying." Kagome whispered softly knowing that there were some things that would never change. Sesshoumaru will always dislike her race excluding Rin and he would always despise that who is and what is a part of Inuyasha, herself included. "But… but why?"

Her voice was lost altogether when he decided he wasn't near enough. Personal space was obviously something this demon did not understand. She stiffened closing her eyes feeling the light brush of his damp bangs against her skin before his own striped cheek rested against hers almost burning her with the contact. His breath tickled the sensitive flesh of her ear eliciting more unknown reactions in her body than Inuyasha's kiss. Certain parts of her began to… ache… almost painfully.

She heard him breathe deeply through his nose as though inhaling her scent and that sent waves of unknown passion through her body. Her lips parted and her knees almost gave way to the heat pooling between her legs. These feelings were… unknown to her. She was untouched and inexperienced so she had never felt this… whatever this was. Kagome briefly worried about it, wasn't she supposed to feel this way for Inuyasha?

In a husky whisper he laid the final blow, "Miko, if I ever see you or Inuyasha again next time we meet I will kill the both of you."

Ice came crashing down on her squashing the strange sensations throughout her body with his words. Her eyes snapped open watching as his face pulled away from hers before towering over her small frame with bright eyes narrowed dropping his hand releasing her.

"Me... me too?" She tried to form any sort of coherent sentence but it came out as a rushed whisper.

He nodded. Kagome felt dizzy with all the strong emotions barreling against her. If Sesshoumaru wanted to turn her into a living mold of jelly he was doing a damn good job even after threatening her life. She was glad she was standing against a wall or she'd have fallen over a long time ago.

He stared at her with narrowed eyes as his hand was curled into a fist looking as though he was debating or fighting against himself. She stared confusingly at him until realizing what he had just done but even realizing made her question why the hell he did it to begin with. _'He was… he was… oh my god Sesshoumaru was sensually torturing me!'_

Why?

That word itself was becoming nothing more than a mantra to her. Never once had she thought of Sesshoumaru… in that way… now she couldn't stop! Was it a way to get back at her or Inuyasha for that matter? Did Sesshoumaru get a sick pleasure of sensing how she reacted so strongly to him only to pull away, to let her taste what she couldn't ever have?

A hazy smile set on her features. "So that's that huh?" She watched him nod once in the affirmative. Then she shrugged a shoulder as though it was inconsequential, "I made my amends. If you don't accept then it's not my problem, it's yours."

All she received was a delicately arched eyebrow but she knew she had just confused the hell out of Sesshoumaru. Angrily she thought back to his torture session. He had done too much to just turn around and leave her alone. It piqued her curiosity and had awoken parts of her that had been until now dormant. Honestly Kagome doubted she would ever see this statuesque demon again so that made putting her plan into action much easier.

"Is that why you came back… to tell me that?" She whispered looking up at him through thick lashes that were weighed heavily with drops of rain. "Is that the only reason?" He did not answer yet his eyes did keep wandering to her lips…

"I don't care if you hate me for the rest of your immortal lifetime Sesshoumaru. I love you!" With that bit of melodramatics out of the way and without giving him time to react to her words she pushed herself off the wall flinging her arms around his neck plastering her lips against his wrapping her legs around his waist.

Kagome was certain that his eyes were wide with either fear or complete revulsion as to what she had just done. Well if it was revulsion he would have thrown her off by now, but he hadn't. She was utterly surprised when his unresponsive lips suddenly began to respond. A strong hand tangled in her thick wet raven hair on the back of her skull gently moving her head to the side allowing her mouth for better access.

His lips were indeed firm yet soft to the touch and she was surprised at his gentleness unlike the embrace she received earlier. Her eyes dreamily drooped before fluttering closed. _'If just for a moment… I'll lose myself here in the rain.'_

Her spine gently collided with the wall she had been up against earlier feeling his body press firmly against hers as they molded together in searing heat against the cold rain. His lips parted open against hers before his tongue darted out running against her bottom lip slowly while he pressed harder into her in silent demand. She had no idea what he wanted she'd never been kissed like this before. After a moment he growled rather impatiently under his breath thrusting his hips forward ramming her hard into the wall.

Her eyes snapped open as her mouth opened in a gasp when he did… that. She couldn't think anymore when his lips came crashing down on her and her eyes further widened when his velvety smooth tongue invaded her mouth. Her hands tangled into his silken hair as he feverishly tasted the inside of her mouth. It was demanding, but gentle and she felt her eyelashes flutter until they closed shut allowing her head to fall upon her shoulder allowing him complete access.

It was an odd sensation having someone… inside you.

That thought alone sent a scorching heat down the pit of her stomach and she couldn't stop the strange shudders throughout her body hitting some highly sensitive areas. After a moment his tongue darted out of her mouth and his lips parted hers slightly before they touched again softly; once, twice, and a third time.

Kagome closed her mouth ending the kiss as she pulled away, her eyes opening half mast staring at the still parted lips she had just invaded through thick lashes. She felt hot, feverish and didn't want him to see the blush that was probably on her face. Resting her cheek against his stripped one she breathed deeply trying to catch her breath that had somehow left her body while he placed open kisses just under her cheek close to her neck. She felt his hand squeeze her thigh, long talons brushing her soft skin.

This… wasn't good.

Well the kiss had been, that was very good and therein laid the problem. She knew she wouldn't be able to look him in the eye without blushing again. But these feelings through her body, they weren't his, they shouldn't be his. She shouldn't be reacting this way to Sesshoumaru!

But somehow she couldn't force her body to stop reacting the way it was. She couldn't will the slight shivers and goose bumps at his delicate ministrations to her ear. Kagome could not even though her mind was screaming _'WRONG!'_ It just didn't _feel_ wrong. This screamed dangerous for the both of them. Pride and loyalty stood between them… that is… if there ever was or could be a '_them_.'

Perhaps this was their ways of saying goodbye to each other. Sesshoumaru had invoked reactions she could never have and in turn she had given him a taste of something he too could never have.

She unwrapped her legs from around his waistline blushing sheepishly at doing something like that. The hand on her thigh gave a squeeze as it slid dangerously further upwards while she stood on terra firma. She blew a small breath into his ear before whispering seductively, "Goodbye Sesshoumaru, you shall not be seeing me again."

Somehow the action hurt but she let go of him completely rushing past him grabbing her pack in one hand as she ran up the long winded staircase towards the bone eaters well. It felt like the more she ran the harder the rain began to beat on her form soaking her almost through to skin.

Kagome stopped when she finally reached her destination, out of breath, completely wet and her mind was completely in a state of unease. She swore to herself before she had become so bold with Sesshoumaru she would not stop to think about it for a couple days… she wasn't thinking of the kiss but his words concerning herself and Inuyasha.

'_I should just go home.'_ She realized that it was best she slipped quietly away into the night never to return. Kagome had a life to come home to, this was not her time, and this was not her place… Inuyasha was not hers to have.

Kagome took a dainty step on the lip of the well and was about to take a step forward when a set of strong arms wrapped around her middle slamming her back into a firm chest. She was about to scream out for help when a hand clamped over her mouth muffling her voice.

"Kagome, damn it's only me." Inuyasha's gruff voice answered her.

She exhaled knowing it was just him as she calmed herself. Reaching up she shoved the hand still covering her mouth aside, "Gods Inuyasha don't scare me like that."

"What the hell were you doing?" He growled out roughly letting her go taking her pack off her shoulder in the process before shaking it in front of him. "Where do you think you're going?"

Kagome spun around folding her arms glaring at her hanyou companion. She was slightly taken back by the dark look in his eyes and the strange expression in his face. _'It's just a trick of the low light.'_ She thought to herself before changing the subject. "Come on Inuyasha, its not like you can't come too."

Inuyasha sniffed the air once before dropping her pack on the ground. He narrowed his eyes before roughly grabbing her upper arms pulling her flush towards his body sniffing her face. His eyes narrowed inconspicuously.

This is when her nervousness turned into flat fear.

"Who touched you?" Inuyasha gripped her upper arms harder digging his talons piercing her skin.

She grit her teeth at the shooting pain from his actions. "Let go of me!"

"Who the fuck touched you!" He snarled in her face.

"You'd better rethink what the hell you're accusing me of!" The good ol' Higurashi temper flared back at the most opportune time. Inuyasha let go of one of her arms and swung the girl around roughly ramming her against a tree. She let out a strangled cry at the force of the impact.

"You are mine. There is no reason for you to be talking to anyone else." He snarled in her face.

Her eyes widened seeing his serious expression. She reached out placing her hands on his chest in an effort to push him away but he rammed her back into the hard trunk of the tree with his own body bruising her lips with a forceful kiss. Her eyes watered at the roughness of it as she closed her eyes trying to push at him with all her might. Once again she was slammed into the hard bark with his body.

She felt like she was being punished.

Inuyasha reverting into his full demon form didn't frighten her as he was doing now. Her body began to charge with her distress and she placed both hands on his shoulders feeling the frost of her powers gather in the tips of her fingers like a frozen static shock. With a final push he was thrown off of her with the aide of her power. He fell backwards against the lip of the well. She was breathing deeply trying as she reached up with a shaky fist wiping the edge of her lips with the back of her fist. "For one I haven't said I wasn't going to stay and for two what the hell? You're acting stupid."

He stood up placing a hand on his right shoulder over a burnt imprint of her tiny hand an identical imprint was on the other shoulder. Had her powers actually burned through the fire rat haori? Kagome put the tips of her fingers to her lips. She had no idea she could do something like that, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to hurt you. I don't know how to control this." She said in a hushed whisper wondering if he was upset about that.

"You are not to talk to anyone unless I am there with you or I allow you to talk. And you are not to go to your family without permission."

Kagome blinked. What the hell? "Stop being an ass!"

"Start being a bitch!" Inuyasha knew what was coming up as he raced over towards her clamping a hand over her mouth to keep the small word of 'sit' from falling. He let out a sigh, his body stung badly at the touch of her powers. "I'm sorry Kagome, but I don't want to lose you, can't you see I am trying to protect you?"

Kagome sighed in defeat, her shoulders sagging.

Inuyasha lay with her that night unwilling to let her out of his sight keeping an arm wrapped around her waist keeping her in place. She kept her eyes open all night long staring into the darkness. The tender action was so… out of place for Inuyasha. Shouldn't she be blushing in embarrassment or enjoying this contact? Then why was she shivering in fear and biting her lip nervously?

Inuyasha had never instigated contact between the both of them, well intimate contact. He always blushed at her nearness and downright denied any feelings for her. What had changed?

Naraku had changed… that's what. She couldn't help wonder if that is the reason Inuyasha didn't trust her anymore, because of what she had done? Kagome shook her head with a rueful smile she'd fight Naraku alone again if she had to so she could protect those whom she loved.

The group had walked to the slayers village and begun the process of rebuilding the small fort town. The diversion was good for her mind but she felt out of body, like the shell of her was moving out of pure instinct.

They had cut down a good section of forest peeling the bark and chopping the ends to a point and rebuilding the fort walls in the heavily armed fortress to the northern lands. Kagome watched detached from the scene as Sango and her brother chatted amiably laughing amongst themselves.

'_Souta.'_ Her mind wandered to her own little brother that was growing up. Every time she went home he seemed just a little bit taller. _'It's been three months. I wonder how he's doing.'_ She took a large canteen full of water to Inuyasha who was digging holes under the scorching sun. She smiled seeing him working hard shirtless, his haori tossed over a shovel.

"Water?" Kagome smiled giving him the canteen.

Inuyasha took the water gratefully giving her a wolfish grin and a wink. _'Now what's that all about?'_ She blushed at the look turning around but stopping before she left him to his task. "Inuyasha? Do you think when we go home I could go see my family?" She asked him quietly.

His playful mood turned sour as his smile faded away, "Feh."

"Please?"

He glared, "Maybe."

Maybe is a word halfway between no and yes so maybe was just that… maybe. She kept her spirits high as she worked double hard cleaning out the old houses and cleaning the wash.

She let out a sigh as she sat down on a rather comfortable rock that sat near the edge of a small stream surrounded by willows. Kagome had found this secluded clearing one day while she was searching for berries and somehow always made sure to return to this place at least everyday. The sun beams burst through the trees as tiny butterflies fluttered about in a breathtaking display of nature at its calmest. During her solitary times here she contemplated her life before the warring era.

"Kagome?"

Kagome looked over her shoulder to Sango and gave her a slight smile. "What's up?"

"Inuyasha said you two were leaving tomorrow." Sango sat down on the grass looking up at the priestess noting how faraway her eyes seemed.

"Yes we've been here awhile and I really should head back to my family."

"Thank you, I know these past months have been hard for you… not seeing your family while helping me rebuild mine." Sango reached up and nervously took her hands, "You are going to write to me, and visit often… right?"

"Of course I will." Kagome gave her a smile.

"I'm glad you're staying with us." Sango gave her a hug and Kagome returned it half in kind frowning slightly as she worried terribly for her own family.

.

* * *

.

"Inuyasha I thought we were heading to Kaede's village?" Kagome realized once they were on the road that they were headed in a different direction. She frowned as she rode her horse wondering why he was going westward and not eastward.

"I've got something I have to do." Inuyasha shrugged a shoulder. "Besides you can see them later."

"But I wanted to see my family…" Kagome's mood suddenly darkened.

"Not today, later." He kept promising her. This ritual went on for two weeks. They would go to many villages traveling the lands of Edo. She never knew what it was he did, Kagome was usually left alone all day. Sometimes they would stay at villages, sometimes they would be out in the wilderness. One night she realized that she was two hours ride from the bone eaters well, with Inuyasha nowhere in sight she had stupidly attempted to go towards the well but Inuyasha had come out of nowhere snatching her before she reached her intended destination which of course ended up with his strange form of un-pleasurable punishment… and… other forms of punishment…

She wrapped her skirt around her waist noting how loose it sat around her. Kagome glanced down at her bare legs noting the five streaks of welts from her calf to her thigh that looked like a sinister caress. They were still red and somewhat swollen. They were looking better today, maybe in a week they'd be gone. But until then she'd have to wear something to cover them. She let out a sigh as she slipped out of her skirt kicking it off to the side along with the other laundry she wasn't looking forward to doing today at the stream.

She knelt in front of her yellow bag that had paled in color being out in the sun for long periods of time picking up the last piece of clothing from her bag that wasn't dirty. It was the garb that Kaede had provided for her. It was comfortable but brought on too many memories of someone she just didn't want to be. Inuyasha seemed rather happy for once telling her he wanted to see her wearing it again, that she was a powerful miko and should show it.

She was rather flattered.

"Miko-sama please help, they are survivors of the war to the east." The village headman spotted the lady on her horse and instantly noted how very hollow her eyes looked as she rode into town with her half demon companion.

Kagome nodded and quietly set about her task helping the injured remembering the herbs Kaede had taught her about. After she was finished with her task the villagers offered them food and a place to stay which of course Inuyasha agreed to.

That night she wandered aimlessly about the village. Inuyasha was out hunting, so he told her. She found a rock at the edge of a pond and sat on it looking down as she randomly kicked pebbles into the calm waters with her foot.

Curiously she craned her neck and looked down at her reflection noting how sad her eyes had become and how much she was beginning to look like her former incarnation. Her skin, tinted by the sun, looked neutral as though she had never smiled before in her lifetime. Although she still had a youthful roundness to her face that was slowly ebbing away her hair and eyes coupled with her expressionless face and wearing the garbs of a shrine maiden marked her for life, Kagome would eventually become Kikyou.

Being here, being with Inuyasha… this is what she wanted, right? Her thoughts were traitorous, stabbing her with guilt and shame for even thinking of leaving him. Her lips twitched in a rueful smile, it's not like she could escape anyways.

'_Then you feel obligation.'_

How true those words had been, spoken by one of few words. She turned away not wishing to look at a mirror or listen to annoying past voices of reason anymore. Obligation… this was a choice, not an obligation she kept telling herself. She reached down and took the crystal sphere on her necklace rubbing it lightly with her thumb as it hummed softly as though giving her solace.

She wondered about the tama's attachment to her. The pieces Naraku held were darkened with malice but at the sight of her they purified themselves, burning the man carrying them. Naraku faltered to the point where Kagome sealed Naraku's fate with her arrow. The jewel hummed with power, calling out to her as Kagome reached out picking them up silencing them with a touch.

To be blunt the jewel liked her, no one else.

Kagome slipped the tama under her shirt when someone called out to her, "Ohayo." She stood up waving to a few of the village children that were waving madly at her tugging at their parents arms. Kagome hid her giggle with a hand as the parents turned giving her an honorable bow.

Seeing the village children made her long for her own little kit that had left with Sango and Miroku towards the north. Her friends were off making lives for themselves and for that Kagome was glad, if not a bit envious for their happiness. Shippou on the other hand was hiding a secret and said something very odd to her when they left that morning almost a month ago.

'_I'll be back for you mama, I'll make you proud.'_

Kagome thought fondly back to the small kitsune as he stood in front of her, his height almost her own looking awkwardly thin with too long of arms for his body. From what she had seen of his father Shippou was the first of his tribe to take human form, his once small hind legs growing into normal legs and feet. Long bushy hair was left free from his bow, unbound and wild about his shoulders as a couple of freckles dotted his cheeks and a strange color began to appear over his eyes. Most animals in the wild looked awkward in their juvenile years, Shippou was no exception. Thoughts of the demon made her smile in longing bringing her small amounts of peace.

They finally returned to the village in Musashi's domain, actually Inuyasha was a bit anxious to return and Kagome was just doing a better job hiding it.

Kaede stared at her in shock when they finally returned to the village, the people gathering around the two of them as they entered the town. Kagome gave Kaede a smile but the elder woman did not return her forced enthusiasm.

"Ye look tired and worn lass."

"I'm fine, really." Kagome wanted to give her a smile but found she just could not. Kagome stopped at the entrance to the town at the large granite stone that stood in the middle of the walkway. "What's this?" She had not seen this before.

"The villagers decided that the occasion should be set in stone."

There stood a pair of unpainted Toji poles that had been erected over it signifying to all who enter that they were coming to a special and sacred place.

Kagome knelt before the tablet under the villager's unfinished work brushing her hand over the crude engravings upon its surface. They really didn't have to do it for her sake… and under her name were a long list; some had yet to be carved in fully.

"And by this may we one day live in harmony." Kagome smiled as she bowed her head in silent prayer passing another set of huge granite stones that had yet to be carved. Perhaps they were going to carve some Shinto gods? Either way their small town was beginning to be quite a large little city. She felt rather proud of it.

She often came this way, staring at the stones touching the date that now felt so very long ago. "Everyone is moved on… except me." Her eyes wandered towards the direction of the bone eaters well. She knew better than to attempt heading there, but one day, she would go through it again. That thought kept her sane.

Kagome bowed her head at some passing people and watched a young couple hold their small child. She turned away from the scene feeling rather detached from the bustle around. It was true this wasn't her time or era but Kagome felt completely out of place. And now more than ever she felt a pang of homesickness.

Kagome wandered away from the other villagers towards Kaede's hut. She found the elder priestess in her garden weeding the herbs again. Kagome knelt down next to Kaede as she helped her pull weeds from the herbs.

Kaede waited for the girl to speak what has been troubling her so. It was evident that something was bothering the young lass. Kaede had let Kagome room to ponder for days without asking but she was beginning to worry more and more for the maiden. "Kagome, is something troubling ye? Are ye still wounded from yonder time fighting Naraku that been moons ago?"

"No, that isn't what's bothering me." She let out a sigh dropping the weed to the side, "Is it within youkai cultures to be so… possessive?"

Kaede bowed her head pulling out a dead herb, "I cannot say that it is not. But Inuyasha was not born a full demon, nor was he brought up in youkai traditions."

Kagome stood up brushing off her hakamas as she looked towards the darkened forest that held a strange light to it, "Do you see that?"

Kaede turned towards the forest, "What is it ye see child?"

Kagome furrowed her eyebrows placing her hand on the tama hearing nothing from within it, "It's nothing I guess."

Kaede knew better and sometimes tried to coax to the girl to eat more than she had been. She had become too thin for her liking. Kaede secretly sent a missive to the northern lands. If Kagome was not allowed to see her family, she would see someone who would open her eyes.

.

* * *

.

She was coming… Kagome was so excited she spent the entire morning pacing back and fourth in the hut like a caged animal. Inuyasha had enough of her anxiety and was now currently taking root on their roof. She was never a patient person her mother always told her. Kagome was the kind to rush downstairs in her pajamas tearing open her birthday presents.

When she felt the pull of jaki and heard someone outside of the hut she about tore the door flap apart. "Sango!" Kagome squealed seeing her friend flying down on Kirara. Kagome leapt upwards wrapping her arms around her best friend.

Sango felt Kagome's full on assault patting her friends back. She was a bit disturbed seeing Inuyasha standing on top of the hut glaring down at her with his arms folded as though she were some sort of enemy instead of a longtime friend.

"Sango I've been waiting for you all morning." Kagome took Sango's hand pulling her off the fire nekoyoukai into the hut mindful of her swollen stomach. "Tell me how Miroku and Kohaku are doing? Have you seen Shippou? How far along are you?"

Sango stared at Kagome knowing something was wrong with her as she dragged her into the hut. Kagome blushed a bit feeling so starved for friendship but this was Sango, they were practically sisters!

"Kagome are you alright?" Sango had asked her the next morning when the two of them were soaking in the hot spring. "Inuyasha has been practically guarding you."

Kagome waved her hands about, "Oh don't worry about him."

"Kagome what is that?" Sango reached out pointing to her stomach.

Kagome looked down at a series of fading marks that hadn't quite healed yet. "I'm just a bit clumsy, that's all."

"Kagome those are deliberate." Sango narrowed her eyes.

"I'm just clumsy." Kagome bit out at her friend blinking when Sango frowned at her. "I'm sorry; we should be talking about your baby shower not me." She rested her hand on Sango's belly giving the girl a forced smile.

"Inuyasha isn't acting himself." Sango whispered keeping Kagome from steering the conversation and she even saw through her smile.

"I know that."

"How long has it been since you've seen your family?"

"Six months." Kagome drew out a circle with her finger over the water. "Or longer." Kagome had to reword her sentence considering Sango had no idea what a month was.

"Or longer?" Sango stood up, shocked and disturbed at the same time. "You mean you haven't seen your family since before Naraku?"

"I know…" Kagome let out a sigh. "I should go see them."

"Then why aren't you?" Sango demanded. The strange shudder she noticed in Kagome, the fearful expression in her eyes took her back and a breath escaped her body in realization. Inuyasha.

Right now Kagome needed time with her family, time away. Sango reached out placing a hand on her shoulder, "Come with me for a bit, you need a break from him, from all of this." She motioned the jewel that dutifully hung around her neck. Kikyou may have been a powerful priestess who could take care of such a jewel but Kagome had never been trained to do such, keeping her here with such a responsibility was borderline cruel.

"I want to. I really do."

"Shippou comes around every now and then." Sango knew that would get the girls attention since she took care of the kit like her own pup.

"How… is Shippou doing?" Kagome asked wondering why the boy didn't want to come here himself.

"He's almost as tall as Miroku." Sango sat on the bank using a towel to dry off her hair. "Shippou comes and goes sometimes taking Kohaku with him." Sango wondered what it was the juvenile kitsune was trying to do. He had been going off in the woods alone taking her brother along. She asked Kohaku what was going on and her brother simply told her he was trying to gather up lands for himself.

"I bet he's getting all grown up." Kagome smiled ruefully knowing she was missing out.

Sango looked down at Kagome who sat waist deep in the water holding her middle while fiddling with the shikkon no tama. It felt so wrong to her. Kagome risked everything for everyone and here she was suffering so much chained to that stupid jewel. The once free spirited girl was bound by duty. Sango felt like she was cheating Kagome out of her happiness while she herself had all the happiness in the world with her lecherous husband. "Kagome, I'm leaving in the morning. Come with me."

"You make it seem like I'm unhappy." Kagome looked up at her best friend.

"Are you?" Sango looked down at the girl with genuine concern.

That was the last thing Sango told her…

Kagome knew she should have gone with her…

A couple weeks had come and gone since Sango had visited her; at least… she thought it was a couple weeks. Kagome had started to forget keeping track of the time. She had no idea what day it was anymore. And her watch ran out of batteries long ago.

Her life had become a mantra of healings, visiting families and keeping watch over this place. The villagers adorned her immensely and would try to go out of their way to make her feel welcome. Yet she was detached from them, out of their reach and often at times out of her own reach. Mirrors were reminders and she stopped looking at them altogether otherwise she could clearly see the naked pain in her eyes and the lack of life in her soul.

She felt herself slowly fading away, as though she herself were nothing more than a ghost of the person she used to be. Visions of the past caused her to look at her former self with slight envy. When Inuyasha was out hunting she often burst into tears for no reason until there were no more tears to shed. When she stopped crying she stopped laughing and smiling, denying herself the right to life.

She was always alone now, away from the villagers usually at the entrance to the city looking down upon the stone which held her name among others. Kagome didn't have to worry about some demon coming for the jewel… because nothing ever came. Maybe they were scared of her, of the miko who laid Naraku to rest or Inuyasha kept them at bay while he was hunting, she didn't know.

Darkness slowly began to consume her and often she found herself reaching up placing her hand over the tama feeling its soft ever present pull that bound she and it together, perhaps it was comforting her… perhaps.

And then one day, darkness called out to her.

…and she answered its call.

'_Kagome… come to me.'_

She awoke startled at the dark whisper she swore was over her shoulder. Kagome ran her shaky fingers through her thick hair wiping the sweat from her brow. "I'm sorry I woke you Inuyasha." Kagome turned her head knowing he was probably now awake and none too happy about it. She blinked when she realized he wasn't there. The blankets were a jumbled mess but she was alone on their futon. Kagome reached up putting her hand on the jewel wondering where Inuyasha ran off to, something about this seemed wrong.

She looked around the small shabby hut that the villagers had made for her. There were a few things scattered about the floor considering she wasn't a good housekeeper, a few of her books she had dutifully studied even though going back to school wasn't an option anymore. There was a small wooden tub of oils and shampoo she was running very low on and she had run out of toilet paper last week.

Life here in the warring era sucked indeed.

All in all, their little hut wasn't too darn bad. She still had her bike, although trying to ride it in her hakamas was mortal death. She was close to Kaede's hut and in the middle of the small town that was fast becoming a small trade town so she rarely needed to use it anyways.

Kagome waited for awhile seeing if Inuyasha had to go out to 'take care of business' but after about half an hour he didn't come back. She wrapped her haori tightly around herself fixing her askew collar as she slipped on her sandals looking longingly at her pair of sneakers and pile of semi clean laundry. There was only so much a person could wash clothing in this era before they were tinged a different color in sore need for some good old fashioned bleach cleaning in a washing machine.

Washing machine… hot tub.

The risk was too great. She had to go home. Kagome stuffed her pack with her clothes and hoisted it over her shoulder grabbing her bow and arrows. She'd just have to deal with the consequences later. Kagome knew if she waved a bag of ramen in Inuyasha's face the anger would simply vanish.

Kagome shoved the curtain aside walking outside in the brisk cold night air. She shivered as she strolled towards the bone eaters well coming across Kaede who was standing at the bottom of the steps looking upwards. "Hello Kaede."

Kaede turned to the side seeing Kagome standing beside her with a rare smile on her face and a bit of something shining in her eyes. She eyed the pack over the girls shoulder and knew where the girl's destination was to make her smile like that again. "But it is so late, even in your era."

"I just have to go home." Kagome said 'home' with longing in her voice. "Have you seen Inuyasha anywhere?" Kagome had to be sure she could leave without being spotted by a certain hanyou.

"I have not seen Inuyasha but I see a most strange light over Inuyasha's forest." Kaede pointed upwards towards Inuyasha's forest at the strange what looked like dark light.

Kagome narrowed her eyes, "It looks like its coming from the god tree." Upon saying those words her heart suddenly skipped a beat. "The goshinboku." She gulped down her nervousness as the grip around her bow tightened.

"Are ye alright?" Kaede asked seeing the girl acting very strange. "Did ye wish me to accompany ye?"

"No I'll be fine." Kagome gave her a brilliantly nervous smile. "I'll be back in the morning okay!" With that she shot up the long staircase catching her breath at the top.

She narrowed her eyes clutching her bow tightly as she neared the bone eaters well. She blinked when she saw the trail end of what looked like a soul stealer off in the distance. Kagome followed the trail of glowing light through the thicket of trees off the path towards her home.

'_Kikyou.'_ Kagome wondered what she was doing here and if that's where Inuyasha had run off towards. Her heart stung knowing Inuyasha would willingly go off without telling her but it wasn't as though he hadn't done it in the past before.

Kagome thought she heard Inuyasha talking to Kikyou. She couldn't tell their voices were too muffled to tell. She reached a thick patch of brush and gently pushed it aside wondering what it was he had to talk to Kikyou about.

The breath left her body as her heart stopped at the sight she was beholding. Her eyes widened as her mouth dropped open. The crash of her heart was audible in her own ears. The man she had given up her way of life for, the man she had sworn herself to, the man she loved was locked in a passionate embrace with someone else. It was a beautiful scene, making love in the dark as the glow of unearthly soul stealers circled about the area.

They had not even noticed she was there even after her pack slipped off her shoulder and fell to the ground with a loud 'thud.'

Anger replaced disbelief, "HOW THE HELL COULD YOU!" She screamed not caring her audience as a strange dark pink glow surrounded her body causing the air to slowly chill around her.

Inuyasha leaped off of Kikyou taken completely by surprised grabbing his pants slipping them on. He had not heard or scented Kagome coming this way. And seeing her standing there with a shocked/mortified expression merely served to fuel his anger, "I thought I told you to never leave unless I'm there Kagome."

"Fuck you asshole! Oh wait; you just fucked a dead BITCH!" It was the most derogatory thing that had ever come out of her mouth. The words themselves struck Inuyasha worse than the sit command that followed, "SIT!"

She was extremely satisfied when the hanyou fell upon Kikyou who had sat up and was currently tying on her haori with a smug look aimed her way. Now the two of them looked like a crumpled mess of limbs poking out of each other.

"You know what Inuyasha; I'm going to give you my answer right now. Not just no, but hell no. I have a life and its not going to be with you." Kagome marched back to the bone eaters well with a firm resolve that the tama will not be broken but be used to permanently seal the well.

'_Kukukuku…'_

Kagome looked up to the goshinboku with narrowed eyes wondering if it was just her, or did she hear someone laughing. She shrugged her shoulder taking a step up on the lip of the well when she felt something sharp on her back, like the tip of an arrow.

"Don't move bitch."

Kagome let out a sigh. This wasn't how it was supposed to happen. She always dreamed of being with Inuyasha, living happily in the past while traveling to the future to visit her family. But this was a morbid dream turned nightmare.

She stared vacantly forward as a half dressed Inuyasha stood before her. "How could you…" Kagome whispered distantly as though she had known all along before her voice broke out into a scream that shook the trees all around her in an audible shockwave of power, "**… betray me Inuyasha!**"

Her scream took him back as he stared at her, blinking his gold eyes. For a second she thought she saw a hint or remorse for what he had done, but it was gone before she could pinpoint it.

"I am sorry to do this to you Kagome, but…"

He reached out grabbing her neck in a vise and Kagome winced more in fear at the red that was bleeding into his eyes. Kagome gasped for air as she felt Kikyou's arrow dig deeply through her clothing and now touching her skin. "But why?"

Inuyasha reached out with the other hand and ripped the chain holding the jewel. "It didn't have to be like this. You could have had me, and I would have taken care of you."

"Fucking around my back! How stupid do you think I am?" She glared at him. "I will not live like that. Not for you or anyone else."

"It is your choice. But I made mine." Inuyasha looked to the jewel.

"But…you said you didn't want to be a full demon." She closed her eyes keeping her tears back, "Kikyou why?"

"As a full demon he could bring me back from the dead." Her icy voice spoke from behind her as the priestess poked her in the back with the arrow still aimed there.

Kagome thought for a second… "IN MY BODY!"

"You are not as dumb as you look girl."

A dark chilly wind brushed past the three as Kagome looked into the eyes of the man she loved wondering why her heart hurt so much. A blue light wrapped around the jewel of four souls, comforting yet electrifying her even though she wasn't holding onto it. One last time she would hurt him before she departed this earth, and she'd make sure it hurt!

"I wish to be a demon." **"OWSUARI!"**

The two things were said at the same time. The glow of the subduing necklace activated taking the hanyou to the ground as he reached out instinctively grabbing Kagome's hand. Kagome's eyes widened when she felt the prick of the arrow piercing through her back deeply inside. Her mouth opened but nothing more than a voiceless scream came out as she began to fall forward.

Then all noises suddenly stopped and all she could hear was her own heartbeat, which was progressively slowing down. A gust of power surrounded her body as she willingly gave into the darkness falling into a bottomless well as she wondered when the pain would go away.

The soft hum of the shikkon no tama was the last thing she heard before she was taken from the warring era into darkness. It left her wondering if she was dying or was she going home?

Either way it would be a welcome release.

.

* * *

.

Kagome closed her eyes after the tears fell from her eyes holding onto her mother as hard as she could wondering one thing, _'What's going to happen to me now?'_

And after all she had gone through she too wondered, _'what happened to Inuyasha?'_


	3. Three

**To Wash it All Away**

**Three**

.

The light of the fire flickered off the shabby wooden walls of a very meager hut. With her one good eye she stared at the man before her, savagely torn and broken from a fight. His dark brown, almost violet colored eyes were staring straight down into the flickering fire with a depth of seriousness but within his eyes was a plague of loneliness and desperation she could not even begin to imagine.

Too much time had passed. Answers were needed no matter the pain. "Inuyasha." Kaede watched as his eyes moved from the fire to her face, before they moved back once again to the fire. "I will not ask ye what has happened." She had tried that approach before and he had simply said nothing.

"Thank you." He whispered in a small amount of gratitude laced with sadness.

Although the sight was very serious on his person she had to wonder about the young woman whom had left that night. It was important because she cared for the girl, and Kagome held the full shikkon no tama on her person. As the village elder she was the girl's guardian away from her real home. "But I must know where yon Kagome is? Did ye not see her before she returned home? Is she safe?"

His face visibly flinched as she said Kagome's name. Kaede kept staring at him as he closed his eyes tightening his fist around something he was holding onto. Blood trickled down his hand dripping on the floor. "Your wounds are reopening." She wondered how it was the boy was even able to be conscious.

Kaede walked over to the corner of her hut retrieving some bandages and herbs that would help with the tears in his skin. Although it was nothing compared to what the girl used for her injured friends it was the best Kaede could do.

She approached him kneeling on the ground as she tended to one of his wounds as he just sat there glaring at the fire. The elder priestess had a foreboding feeling when she sensed the aura's in the forest the night she found Inuyasha in this state and Kagome disappeared. Kaede had found clear evidence of battle but as to whom Inuyasha's assailant was she did not know nor was he giving answers. He had been bruised, beaten along with knife markings slashed about his form and an arrow lodged in his shoulder.

The lack of reaction from him was disturbing at best as she had silently tended his wounds for almost a week until he had been able to sit on his own.

Not only was he almost mortally wounded, he was completely human…

…and alone.

"Enough." Inuyasha held up a hand for her to stop. Kaede sat back away from him with a slight frown on her face. He knew she was helping him and he should have been grateful for her help but he had many other things on his mind. "You want to know where she is."

Kaede watched as he raised the hand that had been tightly clenched before opening his palm, flinging a small object towards her. Kaede reached grabbing the small bloody ball wiping it with her haori sleeve.

The more she looked down at it the more she realized what it was she was looking at. Not shining and brilliant as it had once been but a cloudy grey color, lifeless and despondent void of the great and terrible power it once held. "The shikkon no tama?" She looked up to Inuyasha for answers.

Inuyasha stood up using the wall for support as he grabbed his haori slowly putting it on. He knew Kaede would question, he knew he'd have to fess up for the shit he had done and the shit he had put Kagome through. It was the 'Why'd you do it?' that he couldn't answer.

Thankfully Kaede wasn't asking that question, at least not yet.

"It's all over Kaede-babaa." With that he limped out of her hurt, his pitch black hair the last think Kaede saw as the flap of her fabric door swayed a few times before it settled.

Kaede looked down at the useless ball she now held in her hands, no power was emitted from it, nothing. Even though Inuyasha had not spoken to her at all before today somehow she already knew where the girl was, if she wasn't at her home Inuyasha would have risked himself even in this state to find her.

But this… this did not answer any questions for her. Did someone make a wish on the jewel? Inuyasha's humanity in the light of day was proof enough, but not once had Kagome wished for him to be anything but hanyou.

It was then her good eye widened realizing who had once about fifty year's prior wished humanity upon him.

…Kikyou.

.

* * *

.

Her old feet took her slowly down the dirt path of the village. The birds sang as the children played while their parents worked in the fields. It was a life she always remembered, quiet and mostly peaceful.

That is until the manifestation of this… her old hands fingered a smooth round surface that was in her pocket. Kaede looked at the silence of the tama, the sight eerie and too quiet for something that had once been a harbinger of great and terrible power. It was nothing now, a useless piece of crystal with nothing but scarred memories attached to it. Kaede slid her hand into her pocket replacing the tama into the darkness.

Somehow this empty vessel that had once housed the warring souls of two powerful entities seemed like an omen of darkness for things to come. She had kept it with her somehow unable to toss away a reminder of the last priestess to have had control over it.

Life had slowly moved on after everyone was informed that Lady Kagome was gone beyond the reach of anyone anymore. A now human Inuyasha had since become a recluse spending his time in his hut or out hunting after he had fully healed from his near fatal wounds. But still the events of that night were clouded in secrecy and Inuyasha had not uttered a word becoming distant and isolated in his own thoughts.

Walking up the long winded staircase took her down the path away from the village. She had to stop once placing a hand on her hip, her old bones were not agreeing with her anymore. She had hoped since Kagome was staying in this time that the young girl would take it upon her to replace Kaede as village miko. Kagome was wild and free and her mannerisms were not as refined as Kikyou's nor was she knowledged as her sister but the girl had a way with people by simply being herself.

Kagome had become more than accepted as the girl had spoken to everyone, getting to know them and becoming a friend whereas her sister kept an emotional detachment from the villagers. Kaede knew that if the girl had been born of nobility her subjects would easily lay down their lives for her, devoting themselves to the strikingly beautiful girl with her generous heart. In this town Kaede was sure that everyone had been befriended by the girl, giving their town a sense of pride and aura of kindness Kaede had never seen before.

It was not only she that worried, but them that worried as well.

Kaede wandered into the familiar clearing of the bone eaters well finding the person she had been seeking. His red clothing was still striking as the day he was killed by her sister more than fifty years prior. Long ebony black hair cascaded down his back as the winds played with a few wayward strands. He sat perfectly still, perched on the rim of the well with one leg hanging down into it eyes fixed into its dark depths.

Everyday since Kagome had disappeared Inuyasha would come here.

"Inuyasha." Kaede approached him. He didn't turn around but she knew he was listening. "I have abided by thine wishes and not asked the questions that need be asked."

"And you want to ask them now huh?" Kaede simply stood there saying nothing waiting for him to speak. "Well simply put I fucked up."

Kaede didn't frown at his vulgar words but more what he implied by such a thing. She didn't say anything knowing either Inuyasha would clam up and say nothing for months or he would surprise her and elaborate.

"She tricked me."

"Who tricked thee?"

"Kikyou."

Kaede neared the young man and looked down into the dark well, "Inuyasha, the dead have but one wish… to return to the land of the living. My sister who was resurrected is a mere fraction of her whole soul, that which belongs to yon Kagome. It is made up of anger, regret, lust, love… the things she could not have in life by her own choices."

Kaede let out a sigh to the man who sat there in utter misery, "Your loyalty to her memory is honorable, but what walks out there is not the woman ye and I knew. She tricked thee because that of her desire to return to life and your honor to her memory, and if ye had done so ye would have damned Kagome." Kaede placed her hand on his shoulder, "Ye should not damn yourself as well."

"It doesn't cover up the fact that I fucked up royally, mistreated her and almost succeeded in destroying Kagome to have Kikyou back."

Kaede let go of his arm when he stood up, a slight limp now accompanying his form as he walked away from the bone eaters well towards the village. "So Kagome is gone then."

Inuyasha ceased walking for a moment as he looked over his shoulder to the elder priestess, "I hope so."

Kaede closed her eye and shook her head, "She would be devastated that she could not return." The girl had such an attachment to the past.

"If she was devastated that would mean she was alive."

Kaede opened her eye and turned to Inuyasha who was walking away slowly from the bone eaters well towards the village. She turned watching his ink colored hair flutter about his form. Kaede had to put a hand on the aged well to steady herself as her mind reeled the possibility of her sister killing her own reincarnation and even worse to send the girls corpse back to her family beyond the well.

Such a thing was unpardonable. "I cannot know you Kikyou." She whispered with utter sadness in her heart. In her mind, in her heart her sister had died fifty years ago.

.

* * *

.

The days were growing shorter he took note as the sun began to turn its usual bright orange and red hues as it neared the horizon. The air held a slight chill as it brushed his almost too long hair around him.

An elderly man holding a basket full of hay bowed his head at him and he nodded his head giving him the same greeting. He stopped as he stood before the threshold of his meager hut before walking past it.

He didn't want to go home, not just yet.

The loneliness of silence was deafening and for now he wished to delay that daily ritual. Walking up the long stairs he took a slightly less traveled road that brought him to a grassy outcropping, the last place he had been somewhat civil to whom he had betrayed.

She told him she'd stay here with him, blindly giving him her trust. Foolish girl had the survival instincts of a child. Yet it was that innocence and unprejudiced love that drove others loyally to her side like swarms of bees to a beautiful flower.

'_Kagome would love to sit down and watch the sunset.'_ Inuyasha absently thought as he looked down to the side mostly as a reflex thinking he would find the strangely dressed girl with her knees drawn up to her chest as she looked out into the skies. He looked away as he took a step forward before the outcropping overlooking the rice fields that were glistening with the light. Even the thought of her name made him feel so empty.

It was a strange sensation to feel nothing. Whenever Kagome was around he felt stronger and powerful. Perhaps it was the delusion of a half demon given the charge of protecting something or in his case someone important. Then again a mere smile from her would make him feel better as though all was well with the world. And without her around he probably would never feel that way again.

Had he made the wrong choice? Inuyasha looked down to his dulled human hands balling them into fists feeling the bit of pain from that action.

Yes.

'_How could you… __**betray me Inuyasha!'**_ Kagome had screamed at him with tears running down her face. Those same tears Kagome used to shed when she was saddened for him were used for hurt that he had inflicted on her.

He found it ironic that Kikyou would have said the same thing to him when she was awoken by Kagome's soul from the witch Urasue. Although Kikyou truly thought he had betrayed her when it was Naraku that caught the both of them in a perfectly knit web of lies and deceit.

How Naraku would have laughed knowing Inuyasha would do that for real to Kagome Inuyasha though to himself as he once again looked over to the horizon. He had betrayed the only person that had gained his hard to receive trust. Now that he looked at it Inuyasha didn't trust Kikyou nearly as he did Kagome. There was just something so unanimously pure about Kagome, untainted from the shikkon no tama that came from her own body.

When he had known Kikyou he had seen a woman hiding behind the façade of strength, a woman in need of release. The shikkon no tama Kikyou protected had taken her entire happiness and all Kikyou wanted to do was run away from that, find release in him. Sometimes he got the feeling Kikyou was almost desperate to rid herself of the jewel, fear clouding her judgment… well he got the feeling after the fact he had started thinking in this manner… not before when he should have, when he still had Kagome.

He had seen himself in Kikyou's lonely desolate eyes, a kindred spirit knowing what he was going through. Inuyasha willingly followed the girl seeing the small things that made her happy, playing with children and helping others. Although Kikyou was pure she had been tainted by the scourge of the powerful relic she protected, without the jewel would have Kikyou turned out more like Kagome?

Perhaps, perhaps not.

Inuyasha had wished against every god that this had been a trap set by that half breed demon of malice. He wished that somewhere out there was another man that desired Kagome that had spun a web of lies that brought him and Kikyou down over fifty years ago.

But it wasn't.

Inuyasha himself had devised such a nefarious plan.

It had all begun with Kikyou herself far before the jewel was complete. She called him at night by sending him one of her soul stealers then she started beckoning him more often. Inuyasha would feign rest until everyone slept before leaving his charge alone as he regrouped with Kikyou.

An embrace turned into passion and he found himself living two lives, one at night fighting to protect Kagome and the other at night in Kikyou's company. It was then Kikyou told him things, many things concerning her life and the life of the jewel her reincarnation carried. Kikyou decided that she would not drag him into the netherworlds, she wanted to live again.

Kikyou smiled thinking of life when she was alive. She smiled talking about the things she would do, the things she wished to see and the people she would visit. Inuyasha couldn't deny her happiness as he couldn't deny Kagome's.

Kikyou would live, through Kagome.

And he readily agreed without even looking at the consequences.

Inuyasha opened the palm of his hand staring down into the small grayish orb that rested there. He thought it would all be better with a simple wish. Kikyou would live, and since Kagome was her reincarnation their souls would once again reunite to become one and he would have both Kagome and Kikyou. But he never took something into consideration that was easily seen like the sun itself.

Kagome was just not Kikyou.

They may have looked alike, but Kagome was not Kikyou.

At the bone eaters well seeing Kagome staring at him with those sad yet terrified eyes and Kikyou standing behind her he made an interesting revelation. Although they may have once been of one soul, Kagome would never be Kikyou.

But he had made his choice long ago. Whatever Kikyou decided he would follow even if it was into hell itself. But this time Kikyou did not desire to return to hell, she chose Kagome.

He stared into her frightened eyes feeling a stab of pain knowing it was he Kagome was scared of. For a moment his resolve softened and he hated himself for what he was about to do, to say to such a pure soul.

He gripped her neck feeling no resistance from her as he held her life in the palms of his hand. It angered him to know that Kagome still stupidly placed her trust in him knowing what he was about to do. She should have known better, let this be her lesson.

It was a trap Naraku himself would be proud of.

He could hear the deviant laughing at him that night.

Inuyasha balled his fists his fists shoving the shikkon no tama in his pocket as he looked out into the horizon thinking of the last time he saw Kagome. He had made his wish yet he was no full demon. Only a human stood here on a grassy knoll. Had the fates conspired against him, or was this a punishment for even thinking he could actually get away with his wish?

If he was human, he deserved it.

Although Kaede did not know what had fully transpired that night she had kindly not asked more questions concerning it. But even now, almost a year after Kagome's disappearance the old woman frequented the bone eaters well praying before it. A few of the men of the village had volunteered to scour the wilds of Japan searching for the young priestess. Yet they came back with nothing, as he suspected they would.

Five hundred years would pass before the girl, no the woman known as Kagome would ever walk this earth again.

And somewhere in between the two eras Kagome would once again die.

Word of her disappearance reached the monk and slayer, and he had to face the wrath of Sango. He accepted her hits, her insults and her malice towards him… after all he deserved it. Miroku simply said nothing knowing that he was killing himself with what he had done. They left and he had not heard of them since… even now he missed his companions although they probably hated him, he would take their hatred than this solitary life.

A soft step in the leaves caused him to turn around putting a hand on the hilt of tetsusaiga. He growled at himself for doing such a stupid thing before he let go of the demon sword and placed his hand on the hilt of his other sword. Inuyasha wondered to himself why he kept the useless tetsusaiga by his side when he could not use it without his black blood.

"Who goes there?" He commanded into the dark daylight holding to the fine forged metal as the steps continued towards him. A human sword… hah… that was what he was reduced to. If there wasn't someone walking towards him he would have snorted out. Now he knew why his brother kept the two swords with him at all times. The tensaiga which Sesshoumaru thought to be useless was too precious to part and the one that could actually do some damage, the toukijin.

The shadows of the trees above glided over a tall dark form as even, paced steps came this way. _'Speaking of Sesshoumaru.'_ Inuyasha lowered himself in attack position waiting to pull out his sword for battle against his brother knowing this form would probably surprise Sesshoumaru. When the youkai stepped out into the last bit of sunlight Inuyasha stood up a bit confused.

The greater demon stood a few feet away blinking at the sight of him, staring at him from head to toe with large emerald eyes highlighted by a band of deep blue coloring. His features were rather soft for an adult youkai, not sharp and condescending like the look Inuyasha was used to demons of this caliber giving him. The taiyoukai wore a black and violet haori with delicate patterns of green petals on the long sleeves and neckline and black hakamas cinched at the ankle wearing elegant black shoes.

He wore armor that went to his knees, but unlike his brother's that had spikes on them these were just dark metal plates over his shoulders to the middle of his bicep, a pair of black arm armor went from the back of his hand to his elbow. The tip of a cream colored fluffy tail poked out from under the armor slightly dragging behind him as a bright emerald and red sash that oddly reminded him of Kagome's clothing was loosely wrapped around his waist.

Inuyasha quickly took note that the demon wore no weapons that he could see. He stood up out of his defensive pose but kept his hand on the sheathed sword noting the demon was much taller than he was visibly. He had to wonder about the strange look this taiyoukai was giving him. The demon lord looked more shocked than anything and he swore he had seen those eyes before. The demon's straight deep red colored hair fell in disarray over his shoulders down his back almost to the floor. He guessed it was a demon lord because in between parted bangs was an emerald maple leaf.

The demons eyes finally blinked looking to the sword he was carrying then to the tetsusaiga in wonder. Inuyasha narrowed his eyes, has this demon come for his sword? Like hell he would ever give up the tetsusaiga to his brother or even this bastard. The grip around his sword tightened. "What are you looking at demon?"

"Inuyasha?" He looked up into the darkening skies at the sliver of a crescent moon that was over them. "I came looking for you, it seems I found you."

"Then come here and get me." Inuyasha unsheathed the double bladed sword in attack stance. "What the hell are you waiting for?" The demon seemed to be quite surprised as he took a step back. Before Inuyasha could react to this strangeness the demon began to giggle in a more childish manner. Inuyasha glared before waving his hand around, "What the fuck is wrong with you?"

The demon lord snorted covering his mouth in a very non lord display. "Inuyasha, you are still an idiot."

Inuyasha was shocked at the strange manner the demon was acting before his sword slipped out of his hands to the ground. He knew that laugh. He glared balling his fist swirling it around the air, "Shippou! Stop fucking around." He stomped over to the demon kit and hit him on the head really hard with his fist trying to get him to pop back into his normal size.

"Ouch." Shippou held his head smoothing down his red bangs, "What's wrong with you dog breath?"

Inuyasha stared at his fist then the still tall demon lord who was still glaring at him rather pissed. Had he missed something here? "Shippou?"

Shippou smiled the way Inuyasha was staring at him and understood his shock. "I'm not making any illusions Inuyasha."

Inuyasha looked upwards to the tall intimidating taiyoukai, "Shippou?"

.

* * *

.

Kaede had been kneeling on a straw mat in front of the small fire in the middle of her hut. She placed the pot of water on a stand above the fire to fix herself and her guest some tea. Her eye wandered upwards to the tall intimidating taiyoukai that was filling the doorway of her hut looking intently at the falling rain holding the bamboo door open with a delicately clawed hand.

She smiled softly staring at the now adult kitsune demon she had come to think of as a grandson. Shippou had been orphaned at a young vulnerable age for a demon, if he had been left in the wilds he would have very well perished. Not even demons had compassion for orphaned young even if they were of the same race.

The little kit had always been cute and very loving like the woman he had come to call mother. Kagome had taken great pride in taking care of the small demon pup. More than once Kaede had recalled the villagers whispering between one another the awkwardness of a human raising a full demon let alone a miko caring for a pup. Kagome never paid the words of others any heed. Kaede had allowed it of her young apprentice to indulge herself in something she wouldn't have been able to do in her own era. Kaede had never thought about what would ensue of this union of a human parent and a full youkai as their adopted child.

Then again Kaede had never though the young kitsune would grow up to be… this.

Shippou had never much spoken of his heritage. Most knew his father to be a fox demon of some caliber but she never took heed to the rumors of others. The marking on the middle of his forehead was one she had seen before many years in the past, known to all as the lords of illusions…

They were a clan of powerful demons most unable to take human form but powerful all the same. Some grew in titan strength, some did not. But they were notoriously known for their powerful magic of illusion and deception. Kaede had known the clans to have dispersed most had been hunted down and killed by humans and demons that had fallen prey to their mischievous magic. They had never been properly organized, but if they had been then Kaede would have wagered they would have laid claim to most of Japan for not only was it humans they deceived but demons of high caliber alike.

"So she's really gone." He whispered softly belying his great stature. His emerald eyes hardened as he had to really believe what he had heard as the hand not holding the door open balled into a fist, the leather of his gauntlet armor stretching to his taunt muscles. Kaede had shown him proof enough, without the working shikkon no tama Kagome would not be able to return.

Kaede closed her eye nodding her head looking back at the fire. "Hai Shippou. Kagome is gone."

Shippou closed his eyes gritting his teeth bowing his head lightly. All that he had done, all that he had worked for was for Kagome. "For some reason I knew." He released his fist with a sigh dropping his other hand allowing the bamboo curtain to sway shut. He slowly turned his body completely around, unused to being in such a confined space now that he was an adult. He faced Kaede as she looked down at the fire avoiding his eyes.

His eyes wandered the woman's hut. Kaede had very few things being a woman of the cloth so he could easily pick out the yellow pack that had been accumulating dust in the corner of the hut.

His feet took him before the pack. Slowly he knelt down, the leather straining as the bottom of his armor scraped the floor. He reached, long talons brushing aside the years of neglect whispering his mother's name, "Kagome."

Kaede looked up seeing the humbleness of a kind demon lord. His long hair trailed the ground just above his cream colored wolf like tail he wore under his armor. She wanted to ease his pain but nothing could do, nor could she tell him that it was probable that his mother was not alive even in her own era. Still… "Kagome never forgot ye Shippou."

"And I never forgot her." He whispered softly wanting to touch the pack that he had ridden on… it seemed so long ago. "Sango never told me."

"She perhaps would not wish to cause ye pain."

"Aye… perhaps. Perhaps I was gone too long. And now I'm too late." Shippou stood up abruptly, armor weighing him down little as he turned around, long hair whipping with the action as he walked towards the door of the small hut.

"Shippou, he has suffered enough for his mistakes. Give him not trouble."

Shippou nodded once, "I'm just going to say goodbye granny Kaede." With that he brushed aside the bamboo curtain walking out into the rain as he made his way towards the stairs.

A few villagers gasped at the sight of him and he merely walked by unfazed by their actions. They humans knew who he was they should not be scared of him when they had seen him as a pup.

He walked up the long set of stairs leading towards a shrine at the top where once so long ago the shikkon no tama rested being under the protection of Kikyou. Shippou wandered the forest and approached the old well soundlessly before stopping at the rim. He leaned over looking down into its dark depth. Somewhere off in the distance a roar of thunder tore through the sky. When he was younger his surrogate mother used to coddle him to her person, soothing his fears of the night rumbling. After all it was the thunder brothers that had taken his father. Being with Kagome and seeing her fearlessness of the sounds Shippou too never feared thunder again. He reached into his robes and pulled out a bouquet of daisies he had strung together before he arrived to be given to Kagome. They were the most beautiful ones he could find along the trip.

Now they would be placed in her memorial.

Shippou held out the flowers over the well and closed his eyes. This wasn't how it was supposed to be. He was supposed to find Kagome pregnant and Inuyasha ranting about this and that bitching about his wife and her subduing him. Kagome was supposed to gasp at how much he had grown and help him find the perfect mate for when he wanted to settle down.

It wasn't supposed to be like this.

He had spent years scouring the lands gaining strength and picking fights with the lesser demons driving them out of his claimed territories. He rebuilt his stature taking his father's name to himself for all to know him by. Shippou wanted to show her what he had done, he wanted Kagome to be proud of him.

She had taken him in when Shippou knew none other would. She had fought for him standing against countless demons when she was just a weaker mortal. He had called Kagome mother, and Inuyasha…brother.

A tear fell down his cheek mingling with the drops of rain. "Goodbye, Kagome." He opened his eyes looking into the vast darkness of the well. To his youkai eyes it had a dirt bottom, but he knew better than that.

This was a bottomless pit, a portal of time between now and Kagome.

With that he released the daisies into the darkness. Lightning flashed, thunder roared, and another tear fall down his cheek, and the bouquet disappeared for five hundred years.

"She's never coming back is she? You know that yet you still stay here?" He looked up to see Inuyasha sitting against the trunk of the goshinboku with his head bent downwards unwilling to look up at him. His long black hair was damp with rain, sticking to his pale white face. The human looked sick, too thin and undernourished.

Shippou had been surprised to see Inuyasha in his human form before the setting of the sun well far from the day of the new moon. He briefly thought that Inuyasha had wished mortality, it was odd considering Kagome never desired him to be such but it was the only explanation he had. It was all short lived when he asked Inuyasha for Kagome.

Shippou strolled over to the human looking down at him with a very uncharacteristic raise of an eyebrow. For some reason the sight of Inuyasha like this was just plain… "Pathetic."

Inuyasha's eyes snapped open when Shippou out of all people called him that. He raised his chin looking up at the towering demon boring down at him with darkened emerald eyes. His eyes still could not believe that this was really Shippou. Only a few years had passed since he had seen the demon kit that tagged behind them and bit at his ears.

But the young kits words stung, hitting too close to home for comfort. "Don't you already think I already fucking know that Shippou?" With that he stood up glaring at the tall demon lord. "Just leave me the hell alone." Inuyasha walked around the statuesque youkai back to the village.

Well he would have, if he didn't bump into something hard.

Glaring at the kitsune in front of him he growled rather pathetically. "Leave me alone you little brat."

Shippou's eyes softened looking down at what remained of the proud hanyou that fought for honor. Shippou had looked up to Inuyasha for guidance watching as the hanyou learned with each battle gaining respect from the impressionable youth. He couldn't leave seeing Inuyasha degraded into this. "Inuyasha come with me, don't stay here anymore."

"Fuck off." Inuyasha put a hand on his sword, "I don't need your pity, not yours or Miroku's or Sango's."

Shippou reached out grabbing his shoulders and lightly shook the stupidness out of him. "Just look at yourself! You've wallowed in your own self pity for years now. What do you think Kagome would say to you?"

Inuyasha blinked a few times putting a hand to his rosary thinking of what Kagome would do rather than say to him. He let out a hard sigh, "Whatever she would say, I deserve it."

Shippou reached out and backhanded him fiercely. Hopefully a slap would knock some sense into him.

Inuyasha fumed, "What the hell was that for?" He rubbed his sore cheek with murder in his eyes at the demon who had given it to him.

"Good, now you aren't looking like a girl being dumped by Miroku." Shippou turned around and began to walk back to the town. "I'm gathering your things so we can leave tonight." He waved his hand for emphasis not allowing the human to speak. "I need some help chasing the lesser demons out of my lands, even if it's from you dog breath. I'm sure you still know what end of the sword to stick into the enemy."

Inuyasha was shocked as he stared at the demon's retreating back. A soft smile graced his lips watching his long red hair swaying in the wind. "Thanks Shippou."

"It's **Lord** Kumiko to you Inuyasha!" Shippou turned his head sticking his tongue out at him.

"Lord my ass!" Inuyasha yelled out.


	4. Four

**To Wash it All Away**

**Four**

.

This pint sized brat was going to be the end of him, he was sure of it. Not a hundred rogue demons and countless numbers of thieves and murderers he had helped drive off the lands as a mortal had accomplished what this child could do easily in the span of a few hours. He swore she was going to send him in the grave. With the last of his patience gone he folded his arms in his haori sleeves, left eye twitching madly, "Get the hell down from that tree right now you little runt!"

He saw the leaves shake a bit before intensely dark colored eyes looked down at him from one of the highest branches of a tree. "Yeah I caught you now get the hell down here right now… runt."

The girl pouted before slipping onto a lower branch, then climbing down on another. She stopped and smiled a particularly evil smile, "Catch me if you can Uncle!" Then she held out her arms and did a very graceful swan dive, getting stuck on one of the lower branches by the back of her now tattered haori.

He smiled now that the threat of being plowed by that tiny kid was mulled by the branch. How fortuitous. Inuyasha had his fill of playing babysitter since she was the one who followed him into the forest.

Wasn't her mother supposed to like, watch her? Yeah right Sango was probably giving everyone else's kids lessons. She pretty much left her own kid alone all the time so he felt somewhat an obligation to take care of the runt and keep her out of trouble. He folded his arms as he circled his prey smirking while she dangled five feet above the air struggling for freedom and failing quite miserably.

Ariake Luna first and only child of Miroku and Sango… well until the woman popped out another kid which would be a couple moons along. Luna was ten years old but could easily pass of for six she was so small. She was dressed in a dirty little kimono as her dark wavy raven hair was filled with sticks and twigs. "What the hell do you think you were doing up there, you're mom's gonna get pissed."

Inuyasha was going to have a handful with her when she grew older, he swore it. "I shouldn't even bother helping you down." The girl clasped her hands together giving him a rather large toothy smile and puppy dog eyes. He swore this one was actually a demons reincarnate, no way in hell this kid could be human. "If your mom kills you for being bad I ain't standing in her way."

"But Uncle!" Luna whined holding out her arms swinging her legs in a useless fashion. "Please help me down. I promise I'll be good."

'Feh.' He snorted knowing it was some kind of trap. When the girl's bottom lip began to quiver he started taking a step backward. She wasn't crying was she? "Hey, stop that right now. I'll get you down."

Her bottom lip stopped quivering and she gave him a huge smile. _'Blasted brat knows how to get what she wants.'_ These female creatures were sneaky bitches. He'd especially have to watch out for this one. When she grew older she'd make her father proud and give her mother an armful.

Inuyasha was about to get her when a sudden thought came into his mind. _'Manipulate him will she? Not a chance in the seven hells.'_ With quick movements he unsheathed his sword and slashed the whole branch close to the base of the tree causing the whole damn thing and the girl to fall to the ground in a thump of leaves and twigs. Inuyasha put his hands on his hips smiling at the girl as she wiggled out from under the foliage.

"HEY!" Luna whined. "That was mean."

"You're no spring chicken either brat." He turned around walking back to the village with the girl running up behind him. She grabbed onto his loose sleeve and Inuyasha internally rolled his eyes. This brat clung to him like flies on shit.

"Uncle?"

"Yeah what do you want?" He was already up to his neck with this one.

"Thank you, for taking care of me." Luna whispered as she leaned slightly into his arm.

Inuyasha reached back and took her small hand that was clung to his fire rat haori. "Don't worry kid I got your back." He muttered, _'because no one else does.'_

.

* * *

.

Sango quietly observed the sparring between her two apprentices. One of the girls stood in attack pose, long staff in hand as the other was in a defensive position with mace and shield. She nodded for them to go on from the sidelines wrapping her arms around her swollen belly.

Looking down at her feet she noticed Kirara was once again not by her side. The fire nekoyoukai had been running off into the forest every day for a couple weeks. It was unlike Kirara…

A bell rung and she turned her head towards the pointed pole surrounding the perimeter of the taijiya village as several of the men scurried about. The men heaved at the pulley as the gate opened after a moment she saw the red of Inuyasha's fire rat haori. His long ebony hair swayed in the wind as he caught sight of her and began walking her way.

"Enough for now." She looked to her apprentices who stopped their sparring and bowed their heads excusing themselves. Sango looked at Inuyasha wondering what it is he wanted from her, it wasn't like him to seek her out.

It had been a couple years since Shippou had dragged Inuyasha to the village. She had already given him a piece of her mind before, since then they've never talked about it again although she didn't have to be civil with him.

Inuyasha was supposed to love her, protect her and honor her. Sango had trusted him with the woman she called sister because she had seen him lay his life for Kagome. After Naraku there was a drastic change in the ex hanyou, the way he treated her was unacceptable for a man who swore himself to protect Kagome forever.

And look at what the fates had struck him with.

Seeing the human that was once a half demon walking towards her with a light limp in his left side she was struck with guilt. Was this a fitting punishment for he who betrayed her friend? She shouldn't judge so harshly or at all for what the fates had already done to him.

Although Inuyasha lived here in the slayer village he rarely stayed longer than a fortnight before he was summoned by Shippou to scour the lands of the north. When he was here Inuyasha would find solace in the woods near the memorial they had made for their departed friend. Even his hut was at the far end of the complex away from the others where he lived a solitary life practicing his sword. Inuyasha would sometimes talk to Miroku, the only person Inuyasha ever spent time with was Shippou but most of the time he preferred his solace.

Sango could tell from his actions that he regretted everything he had done, and had paid his price three fold.

Even after seeing the once proud hanyou living a life in shame and regret Sango wanted to scream out to him, 'you deserve it!' But her thoughts would drift to Kagome and how the priestess would react or what she would say. Kagome would tell her to forgive him no matter what, and to take care of him since she couldn't any longer. Sango knew Kagome probably still loved him wherever she was and often thought back to him pushing aside the betrayal to happier memories.

Sango told Miroku she needed time to sort all of this out.

Years passed and she was still torn.

"Hey Sango, lose something?" He called out to her.

"Was Kirara out there?"

She was surprised when a small head popped out from behind Inuyasha's thick mat of raven hair. "Ariake?" The girl slipped off his back and Sango frowned at the state of her dress. The girl's raven hair was covered in sticks and leaves and her clothing was dirty and the hem of her kimono was ripped. "That's the third kimono this week."

Luna bowed her head, "I know."

"If you know why do you keep on climbing trees?" The young girl rubbed the back of her head and grinned a crooked grin. "Are you even listening to me?" Sango frowned unable to get through to her own daughter. Talking to the girl was talking to a brick wall. It was hard for Sango, with Luna's inability to pay attention and her unusually petite size Sango couldn't train her as a slayer with the other children. She had tried but it ended up with Luna getting hurt, a lot.

Luna wasn't an idea child. Unlike both her parents she was tiny in stature. Since infancy the girl was 'touched.' Luna wandered and never concentrated on anything, and sometimes she would have violent outbursts where she would just start running into the woods and they would have to search through the night for her. She didn't play with the other children and there were times where she would come home bruised and beaten, Sango had a sneaking suspicion the girl did that to herself although Luna said nothing contradict her suspicions. Luna was hard to handle, simply put. Miroku was convinced that Luna held some sort of holy power but Sango had yet to see it manifest itself.

Luna was a miniature Miroku in features, wavy ebony hair that refused to be tamed and intensely dark eyes with flecks of violet streaks. Luna's eyes reminded her of a demon's eyes. Although her demeanor spoke of dim wittedness her eyes were fixated and calculating… sometimes frighteningly so.

Inuyasha looked down at Luna who stood there smiling at her mother as she chastised her almost taking the abuse with a sort of resentment, he couldn't figure it or her out. She was fully aware her mother didn't care much for her and the rest of the village thought she was nothing more than a nuisance yet she did nothing to change their opinions on it. _'Not my business.'_

"Well I'm not needed here." He didn't want to be witness to Sango yelling at her kid again. Sometimes it was a bit too much, too harsh for his opinion.

"But okaa-san I found this." The girl raised a handful of yellow flowers.

Sango stared at the almost dead flowers and took them from her, "Enough, go inside."

"But mother…"

"Inside." Sango pointed to the hut.

Luna frowned before looking up at Inuyasha giving him a rather weak smile.

Inuyasha nodded his head at her, "You heard your mom kid, scat." He watched the girl take off running towards the house turning once to wave at him.

Sango narrowed her eyes at the sight. She was worried the way Luna clung to Inuyasha. The girl adored him, listened to him where she wouldn't even listen to her; around the man Luna almost acted normal.

"Hey I know that flower." Inuyasha pointed to the bouquet, "That's some herb Kaede used all the time for headaches." Sango looked at the flowers in hand and whispered 'oh' softly. "What, Miroku has a headache?"

"Why didn't she tell me?"

"Because you didn't let her."

Sango glared at Inuyasha, "She spends too much time around you."

"Ain't my choice, the brat comes after me okay."

"She's getting older Inuyasha."

"Don't talk to me like I'm Miroku or something." Inuyasha glared at Sango before turning around walking away from her heading back to his own hut.

"Stay away from her."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes at her words as he walked away from her to his hut. He stopped as he stared at his meager excuse for a house. It was a dark almost rotting wood with a torn fabric for a door and moss growing on the roof. He turned around and walked away unable to go to into that empty house.

"Going out again Inuyasha-san?" The man at the lookout asked and he merely nodded as they raised the gate for him. He didn't want to go home; he didn't want to be around here… he should have gone with Shippou to his 'negotiations' with one of the other taiyoukai. Inuyasha just didn't want to be seen by the other demons. He wasn't afraid of their remarks of scoffs even as a hanyou just… he didn't want his brother to see him… ever.

Inuyasha sat down on the smooth rock as he raised a leg tucking it under him then switching with the other sitting cross legged. He folded his arms in the sleeves of his haori settling himself in one of his favorite positions.

This place was very comforting to him, a good place to meditate without being bothered by anyone. The village women had a stream that ran through the village that they washed their clothes in and there was a hot spring deep in the forest the other way. Since Sango's brat was detained he was assured his privacy to reflect although if Luna were to follow him here she usually just sat on the ground and remained quiet taking in the silence as well.

A small waterfall created a soft sound as a willow tree stood at its base while its long branches gracefully swayed in the light winds sometimes dipping into the water. Daisies grew here in abundance permeating the area with their fragrant scent. A large tablet rested under a gnarled tree, black stone with few words engrained into its smooth surface.

'_Kagome Akoya Higurashi, powerful priestess, unique friend, loving mother to all who knew her.'_

It was fitting that Kagome's memory be in this place, a place she used to come herself often enough. He closed his eyes taking in an image of Kagome, large with child waiting at home for him as he hunted in the forest around. Always whenever he thought of Kagome he always thought himself half demon, the girl constantly reminding him she preferred him that way above any other.

Slowly he opened his eyes reminiscing on the past he had missed out on when he gasped at the sight of pearly blue eyes staring straight down at him. "What the fuck!"

"Innn… uuu… asha?" The words were scratchy and in more of a snarled hisses than actual words.

Inuyasha stared at the unusual looking demon with straggled hair and cream colored fur all over its body. He recognized the small black paws immediately, "Kirara, what the hell d you think you're doing?"

She placed both paws on either side of where he was sitting tilting her head as she came too damn close for comfort staring at him with too huge blue eyes with cat like slits in the middle of them. "Inu… yasha." She said a bit better this time.

Inuyasha placed his hands on her shoulders gently shoving her away from him, "Of all the things… what the hell do you think you're trying to pull?" As he pushed her backwards he blinked at her rather state of undress.

Well, he never really took into account that Kirara was a female cat.

Inuyasha turned his body to the side blushing slightly. "Kirara what is your damn problem?"

"Hhh... uumman fffooorm."

"You want to gain human form?" Inuyasha shook his head smirking at her pathetic attempts. "What the hell for?" he felt the girl place her paws on his shoulders trying to steady herself behind him.

Inuyasha shook his head taking off his outer red haori shoving it behind him, "Put some damn clothes on next time." He turned only when he was sure she was dressed. She couldn't get it tied around her because she had no hands, she had paws. He tightened a sash around her waist shaking his head at this absurdness.

Her demonic ears were still way too long tipped in black fur. The fur all over her body hadn't retreated and she looked more like a walking cat in female form wrapped in his clothes. It seems she wanted full human form, not just being able to revert into a human looking cat.

She bowed her head brushing back her long cream colored hair with a black paw, "No good?"

He was actually surprised that she had the power enough to do this. Most attempts ended up in creatures that walked upright and no further. Her face was close but the rest of her was still askew. She stared at him for a bit before a flare of jaki caused her face to change a bit more the fur leaving the skin of her face and black nose being replaced by a regular one. _'Hey, that looks a lot better.'_ Had she been doing this from memory?

Her face had a single black stripe on either cheek with red coloring over her eyes and a large black diamond in the middle of her forehead. The demonic markings would probably never fade carrying into all forms. Inuyasha exhaled as he rolled his eyes, "Kirara, how long have you been trying to do this?"

She put a black paw to her lips thinking for a moment. Inuyasha shook his head, "You know what forget it." He stood up leaning against a tree looking at the watered down version between a cat and a human who stood roughly about the same height as himself. Not too bad but what would possess the fire nekoyoukai to pursue demon form now?

A thought crossed his mind as he smirked, "Its Shippou isn't it?"

A blush went from her cheeks before she bowed her head covering the side of her face with a paw. He smirked shaking his head. Shippou had already gotten a couple of fine looking demonesses throwing themselves at his feet, literally. That dirty lucky little bastard probably could have had more sex than Miroku could have ever imagined… damn some of those women were hornier than dogs in their heat cycles. Inuyasha was very proud of the still young taiyoukai. But Shippou sent them away all the time almost beating them away with a stick sometimes.

Inuyasha smiled realizing Kirara might be good for that brat. "Well that explains why you've been gone a lot lately." He let out a sigh taking her elbow, "Come on let's get you at least looking halfway decent." She gave a cute squeak in happiness that he'd help her.

Inuyasha stiffened looking over his shoulder to the strange sensation of a shiver passing up his spine as well as a burning in his veins. It was a sensation he hadn't felt in years, when half his blood was still demonic. Impossible, he was a human therefore why would his blood be boiling like demonic blood? He caught the tail end of something disappearing behind the tree line, a ghostly whiteness that made a shiver crawl up his spine.

Instead of feeling happiness or anxiety as he usually would terror filled his mind as only one word came to mind.

'_Kikyou…'_

Kirara stiffened as she whipped her head around as her lips pulled back into a feral snarl baring her long razor like fangs into the air. She knew this scent that surrounded them and her blood boiled knowing whom it was.

"I heard it too." Inuyasha reached down to his hip placing a hand on the hilt of his sword narrowing his eyes as his heart began to beat loudly in his ears drowning out the sound of the growl from the fire nekoyoukai. He looked around him realizing that this place was somewhere he did not want Kikyou to desecrate. "Not here." He whispered softly before rushing into the forest away from the clearing.

"That's it, follow me." He muttered feeling the chill in the air associated with her shimi dama chuu. He leapt over a fallen log and rushed through the trees as fast as he could feel the winds rushing through his hair and both the anticipation of a fight as well as the nervousness as to whom came for him.

He stopped and turned around unsheathing his katana and holding it with both hands as he narrowed his eyes hearing the soft hiss when they cut the air with their unholy presence.

Inuyasha felt the heat radiating off of Kirara and turned to see the fire demon in her larger demonic form landing beside him. "Kirara… I think its best you go." She growled lowly not wishing to leave his side. "Kirara go to the village and stay there, keep them safe."

The fire cat seemed to understand him as her ears dropped and she nodded her large head taking off into the skies. There was little she could do and he would not wish Kikyou to kill anyone else he cared for, the priestess already had too much blood on her hands.

The air became stale with a dense fog as the area began to darken almost into nightfall. The glow of the soul stealers moved about as they traced the clearing's edge. Suddenly before him the trees parted as a darkened figure began to appear at the edge of his sight.

She was beautiful and unholy, a dark light emanated from her form as his blood ran chill with such a malicious force. Raven hair floated weightless in the air as she took dainty steps towards him, her body barely touching the ground. Dark brown eyes that had once held a shred of humanity stared back at him cold and lifeless.

"Inuyasha." She whispered her voice devoid of emotions other than spite and hatred.

"Kikyou." He muttered.

Perhaps there was a time her soul could have been saved, but that time had come and gone. Before him stood a creature of magnificent power, fueled only by hatred for him. She was a demon, a dark miko of malice and anguish. This abomination that held her face and her hatred was not Kikyou, Kikyou was a great woman she was troubled but kind in heart.

He held his sword up to his face, the cool edge of the blade barely touching his skin as he stared into the lifeless eyes of the woman he once loved.

"You would raise your sword to me?" The edge of her lips tilted upwards in a mocking smile. She raised her pale thin hand and pointed a finger towards him, "You would wish to send me to the grave again Inuyasha, for me to die by your hands a second time?"

"We've been here before Kikyou you know what it is I have to do."

She cocked her head to the side as her grin became somewhat menacing, "You killed my reincarnate to resurrect me, you would follow me to hell… but now you would kill me?"

"I would save you Kikyou!" He yelled out at her, unable to hear more.

Her lips tilted downwards into a frown as the soul stealers began to circle about her form in a dance of light and frost. "You pathetic wrench cannot even save yourself of that whom you protect."

The soul stealers stilled as they turned towards him staring at him with lifeless white eyes before they all hissed out and shot towards him. He lunged forward and sliced one in half lengthwise pivoting around slicing the head off another, their bodies dissolved in a mist as they screamed out before they were silenced forever.

.

* * *

.

A dark wind caused the light linen curtain to flutter softly. The candle flickered slightly before wavering and blowing out.

Dark eyes snapped open almost glowing violet in the low light.

Wisps of dark fog swam in the air wrapping around the room. The dark ethereal fog reached out like a tentacle slowly wrapping around her neck.

She raised her hand and touched the tentacle shuddering hard at the dark malicious feelings it emitted. With the brush of her delicate fingers it was shoved aside, the fog wavered before it knowingly retreated from her form.

In the dark of night she slowly stood, her shrouded form nothing more than a void against the aged wood of the hut. It was out there again, that indescribable pull that left her restless.

Without sound she walked forward almost in a trance like state passing the row of dried flowers she was notorious for picking as well as a stack of very worn parchments and a stray crudely made doll. A soft flutter of fabric and soon the room stood quiet and still.

.

* * *

.

Sango leaned over her husbands form brushing a strand of ebony hair from his forehead. She noticed a small wrinkle at the edge of his eyes and smiled in spite of herself. He stirred once before his eyes cracked open and she gave him a tender pat on the cheek, "You feeling better?"

"Yes thanks to Luna finding the herb." Miroku noticed her small frown at the mention of their daughter's name. "Is everything alright with Luna, the other kids didn't beat her up again did they?"

Sango furrowed her eyebrows remembering the many times the girl would come home with various bruises, she had always thought they were self inflicted the girl preferring solitude than with others, "She never told me."

Miroku sat upwards, the small rag on his forehead slipping off onto the ground. "She never told me either, I am observant."

Sango wrapped her arms around herself, "I thought this would be easy. Miroku I can't connect with her."

"Sango, if it was easy then it wouldn't be worth it." He touched her face gently, "She was born too early and we nearly lost her so many times. Luna is not physically strong. She's not you Sango, she's not meant to take your path."

'_Not meant to take your path…'_ Sango didn't want to hear this she didn't want Luna to be weak for the other children to beat up on. Sango was trained as a slayer early in age and so would Luna.

"Sango." Miroku caught the determined look in her brown eyes, "She doesn't want to disappoint you Sango, so she says nothing. Have you tried asking her what she wants?"

"She talks nonsense, things I cannot see, places she's never been."

"The girl is special and thus must be treated as such. I am convinced she has the sight, let he train her."

Sango gave him a 'look' having said no to this argument over and over again. But then again… if Luna wasn't to follow in her footsteps then she should follow her father. "Train her in what, finding ominous clouds or lechery?"

"You know what I mea…" Miroku felt a dark chill run down his spine almost passing out at the intensity, "A dark aura lingers about."

"You're joking." Her eyes fell half lidded as she glared at him. Just then she heard the bell alarm of the village and she stood up rushing to her bone boomerang.

"What's going on here?" Miroku called out to the watch guard once they reached the gate. "What do you see?"

"Miroku-dono, the forest breathes evil!"

Sango was about to climb the ladder but her husband laid a hand on her shoulder. She turned to look at him with a question in her eyes but the stern violet eyes of Miroku caused her to still. She forgot she had an unborn child to worry for.

Miroku ascended the ladder and he stilled at the darkened forest, "It's a dark ominous cloud."

"Be serious Miroku!" Sango yelled at him.

"I am serious."

Sango looked up to see a small streak of red flames drawing near, "Kirara!" The fire cat landed in full form beside her, "What's going on?"

"Milady Sango, Inuyasha-sama left for the wood a clicks time ago."

"Inuyasha's out there?" Sango looked down at Kirara whose ears drooped.

"Open the gates, I'm going to assist." Miroku descended the ladder and stood at the gate until Kirara reached out and grabbed onto his violet robe. He turned and looked down at the fire neko who was obviously holding him back, "Inuyasha doesn't wish me to go?"

The neko shook her large head and Miroku frowned, "Then he battles with Kikyou."

"Kikyou?" Sango put her hand to her lips, "How can she emit such an aura?"

"You forget that Kikyou deceived Inuyasha to deceive Kagome-sama. She is not the woman she was in life." Miroku let out a sigh, "We should abide by his wishes then, but I'm certain this will not have a happy ending."

"What is that?" Sango looked up into the skies when the clouds began to glow brilliantly.

Miroku wrapped a hand around his right wrist clutching the rosary somehow the longing for his curse that had become his greatest weapon. In its absence and memory he had always kept the glove and rosary binding his right hand, he had also kept it to serve a purpose… to remind him that even though he did not have a curse that would draw him into an abysmal depth he should not take time for granted.

But at this moment as hundreds of streaks across the sky began to appear through the clouds he would damn himself for wishing he still had the curse laid upon him.

"Soul stealers!" Miroku raised his staff as they rained down onto the village like white fire. The sound of screaming was heard throughout the village as the shimi dama chuu pierced through their hearts stealing their souls disappearing into the ground. Miroku used his staff to slice through the stealers and when the attack was over he held the staff in both hands narrowing his eyes at the ménage of people who lay on the ground unmoving.

Methodically the stealers rose out of the ground, souls in their claw like arms as they ascended into the skies.

"HIRAKOTSU!" Sango screamed out as she swung her boomerang slicing through the stealers. A few freed souls descended down to the ground disappearing into the strewn bodies.

"Kirara!" Sango called out and leapt onto the fire cat taking off into the skies. She severed as many stealers as she could, freeing the souls from their grasp before they entered into what appeared like a large spirit shield, darker than nightfall.

"How could something be so malicious?" She shivered as she told Miroku all she had seen. "I've never seen anything of the like."

"Twenty dead Miroku-dono!" A villager called out to him. "Some of those things went through the huts, took people in their sleep."

Miroku shut his eyes and gave a small prayer for the fallen. "Kohaku and Shippou are still out to the lands of the east."

"Miroku-dono!" The bell in the watchtower rang before the guard cried out in strangled pain and was silenced.

"Not again!" Sango threw her weapon into the skies as she took out her sword and sliced the heads off as many as came close to her, "Miroku!"

Once again in various places people screamed out to the assault before they were silenced, the glowing spheres of their souls raised in the air precariously by the quiet stealers.

"We can't survive this much longer." Sango cried out to her husband as he descended from the skies on top of Kirara. "Miroku what do we do?"

"We trust in Inuyasha… but… everyone else must leave this place."

"What!" Sango grabbed him by the front of his robes, "What are you, crazy!"

He rested a hand on her fist, "I know that we've rebuilt this place and you've trained everyone to fight demons, but this is no demon we are up against. This is pure hatred and the soul of a dead woman. Sango, lead everyone to the next village where they'll be safe."

"Miroku-dono, Sango-sama."

Miroku turned his head to the villager who was nervously looking to the ground. "What is it?"

"Miss Luna is missing."

.

* * *

.

"Kikyou!" Inuyasha leapt forward holding his sword with two hands as the woman stood still as shimi dama chuu swirled around her form before shooting out at him. "Stop this nonsense my death won't avenge yours!"

"But it would please me to see you in HELL!" She raised her hands as a violet light gathered at her will causing the darkened aura to ripple in the presence of great power. It shot out towards him knocking the samurai backwards slamming him against the trunk of a tree.

In her hands a light gathered as a bow solidified and from her fingers an arrow formed. Slowly she notched the arrow onto her bow and pulled back aiming it towards his heart.

Inuyasha placed a hand over his chest gripping the fire rat cloth tightly. His lips twitched upwards in a light smile, threads of blood dripping down the edge of his lips. "We're always stuck in this moment, aren't we?"

Kikyou's eyes narrowed as the winds gathered her long hair like weightless tentacles swirling about her form. Pieces of her body began to flake off and float away like sand in the wind.

"Kikyou your body cannot support you any longer." He whispered as he gripped his sword tightly, "You're killing yourself." She released an arrow and quickly he stepped to the side slicing the shaft of wood in half. A light hissing sound alerted him and he looked forward seeing a screen of soul stealers shooting towards him. In an instant he had three of them killed before he looked up and his eyes widened. The stealer opened its mouth as it sailed towards him before his vision suddenly blurred and he felt a painful frost in his left eye.

He reached up covering his eye as blood oozed down his arm. A piercing pain shot through his right shoulder as the force of her arrow forced him back a step. The arrow to his left knee caused him to cry out falling to his knees.

She began to walk towards him notching the final arrow on her bow, a ghostly visage of a woman whom he once cared greatly for. Kikyou gave him a light smile, the action seemingly too pure and innocent for what she truly had become. Her soul stealers circled around her form carrying various souls as they deposited them into her awaiting form. The fortress was isolated deep in the forest far from any other settlement… "Sango, Miroku…"

"You think of others before me, you always have and you always will and that's why I died." She pulled on the arrow to her cheek as she aimed for his heart. "And now, you will join me in hell."

Kikyou felt her spirit shield waver and her eyes widened wondering who could have come so easily through her defenses. She narrowed her eyes and turned feeling the presence of someone behind her.

Their aura caused the ground leaves to shiver before being gently pushed aside; tree branches creaked as they moved out of the way accommodating the aura that seemed to encompass her own. Her darkness was purified as a light warm breeze breathed through the clearing.

"Show yourself." Kikyou demanded as she raised her weapon and aimed to the void figure in the dark that was slowly approaching. She narrowed her eyes at the dark hooded person.

"But it's you who called out to me." A young girl's voice whispered from the darkened shroud. Two hands reached up and pulled back the hood to reveal a pale white face surrounded by ink black wavy hair and piercing violet eyes.

Kikyou stared at the young woman from the edge of her nose, dark critical eyes as the girls aura became visible to her. "I see how you got through my shield, you are me."

"Shield?" Luna whispered putting a finger to her lips in a thoughtful expression.

Inuyasha grabbed the ground with a fist and pulled himself forward, "Luna, run." He whispered hoarsely as blood seeped from the edge of his lips.

Luna blinked as she looked down to see, "Inuyasha?"

Her dark eyes hardened with a glint as she heard Inuyasha call out to her. Something dark and primal roared in her very soul and the ground shook with rage. "What is this pathetic creature to you Inuyasha?"

Luna took a step back feeling the darkness reach out and wrap itself around her, the power of hatred nearly palatable in the energy charged air. "Inuyasha… help me." She muttered a frightened whisper to the man who was wounded heavily on the ground staring pleadingly up at her telling her to run when she felt rooted to the spot.

Kikyou raised her arrow to the girl's throat, "Watch Inuyasha, as you fail to protect me a third time."

Luna gasped as she reached up crossing her arms in front of her face. "NO!"

Kikyou felt a vibration in the girl's voice, one that shook the very earth beneath her feet. A million needles pierced her body as the flock of soul stealers disintegrated into nothing. Kikyou stumbled backwards suddenly feeling out of breath as her souls were forced out of her body. "No." She knew she had to get away from this creature. Her body began to crack as sparkles of the dark magic that constructed this clay body became purified.

The girl opened her eyes and looked up at her, violet eyes hopelessly lost and confused and so very frightened.

Kikyou stiffened when a blade was thrust through her back protruding fourth from her stomach. The girl's eyes widened and Kikyou wanted to brush away the flecks of blood that were now marring her pale face. "Close your eyes." She whispered as blood trailed the side of her lip down her chin. The girl's eyes stayed open, intensifying in the dark night as she stared at her in utter fear and shock.

A hand touched her shoulder before it tenderly wrapped around her. She felt Inuyasha's cheek press against her own as his tears streamed down her cheek.

"Kikyou I've always loved you… please forgive me."

Kikyou began to loose the control she had over this clay form as the wind carried the soil taken from her grave away into the winds. _'This is it…'_ her mind whispered softly. Images of her life passed through her eyes as she clung to this life as hard as she could and failed.

"Inuyasha, I will always… hate you." She whispered before her body became nothing more than dust and grave soil.


	5. Five

**To Wash it All Away**

**Five**

.

The light of the morning caused the luminous rays to shine casting silvery white hair to glow almost ethereal. Brilliant amber eyes searched the waves of sunlight that brought warmth to his skin. What was it about the first light of the day that brought about a stilled silence to everything around?

The scene of wildflowers followed by soft steps caused him to turn his head looking over his shoulder. In his peripheral vision a young maiden dressed in a brightly colored orange and yellow checkered kimono adorned with an emerald green sash stopped by his side. She turned to give him a side glance, soft brown eyes twinkling as she stared at him in adoration. She held a serene face with the ghost of a smile hinted on her lips as though she were about to give the gesture at any moment. Around her face golden brown hair cascaded over her shoulders wavy and free from the usual styles women of stature would wear.

They stood looking at one another for only a moment before she turned her head looking out to the vast countryside below the hill they were standing on. The girl had a faraway daze set in her doe brown eyes as she surveyed the scene before her looking beyond the mountains to the horizon to an unseen place that only she could gaze upon. For one so young those eyes held much wisdom within.

He turned once again to the mountain range. They stood side by side, himself with this silent creature by his side in quiet revere of the morning. Odd that as the years passed her incessant babble ceased as well. Rin only spoke when spoken to, and her words were very calculated and thought out.

He scented the light change of scent to faint nervousness coming from the girl. This only happened when she was to ask him something, "Is there something you need to ask of me Rin?"

She gasped slightly turning her eyes fully to him partly wide wondering how he knew she wanted to ask him something. Then again this was Sesshoumaru-sama, he knew everything. Rin inwardly smiled, in his eyes only fools thought they knew everything that is something he had once said to her. Her eyes softened as a warm smile graced her lips, "Yes Sesshoumaru-sama, I did have something to ask my lord." She whispered softly unwilling to break the calm of the morning they had both shared in silence. He didn't turn to her but nodded for her to continue.

Rin had been with her lord for many seasons, she knew how to gage his reaction and body language. Sometimes she wondered if Jakken knew this too; probably not if he was still being pelted by rocks and slammed into walls or other side of the forests. Rin knew she would be asking him for a favor she was sure he did not want to give. "Milord I have followed by your side he has been generous enough to grant me second life. Now, may I ask one more favor?"

Sesshoumaru partly raised an eyebrow at this showering of diluted compliments. It was a strange gesture coming from Rin for things of that caliber were reserved only for Jakken to degrade himself by. Normally she spoke when there was something of importance for her to say not skirting around the point like she was doing now, having been long seasoned by these ages her thinking was very profound for a human, albeit her being a female. Curiosity got the better of him and he turned around facing the girl fully.

Rin had been used to her lord's immense stature but when his full attention was aimed towards her she always had the overwhelming sensation to take a step back and bow her head. She thought for less than a second and did so clasping her hands in front of her trying to keep from twirling her fingers through her hair in nervous gesture.

Sesshoumaru watched as she gasped bowing her head taking a step back from him. If she were a more demonic breed the girl's ears would have drooped in the process. Golden colored hair cascaded over her shoulders and she desperately tried not to raise her hand to fiddle with it. It was a nervous habit she had picked up from… someone long ago.

It had been many years but the child he kept with him and grown into a pleasant young lady. Sesshoumaru never kept Rin she stayed by his side per choice to be in contact with youkai rather than humans and the disgusting ways in which they treated her. Rin was content to be with youkai, and so thus it shall be until either her mortal life ceases to be or of her own choosing.

Her life was not easy, he surmised, for human. While taking over what was once his father's domains Sesshoumaru was sure the girl had seen enough bloodshed to have her fear him, but again this human never ceased to surprise him. He set up his court here in this warlord's mansion more for her own sake than his own. Then to his surprise he had received missives in which several noble youkai wished to court her.

Yet to the case in hand his ward wished something of him and in its rarity and because she was so nervous he needed to know what, "Speak."

Rin bowed her head hiding her eyes under curls of light brown hair. "I have never forgotten her milord even if you have. All I wish is to pay visit."

He furrowed his eyebrows as Rin placed her hands together bowing deeply in respect. Rin never asked much of him, not a minute of rest when she was weary in his long travels or even a bite of food after he told her to forage for herself when she was much younger.

He knew of whom she was speaking of. A memory he had forgotten surfaced, it was raining that night, he… lost control of himself, but in the end it was she whom left. So despite her unique qualities he thought she possessed he erred in judgment, she was human, nothing more.

He looked down at Rin who was staring up at him waiting patiently for him to make his decision. So be it.

"We depart."

Rin opened her eyes hearing her lord's voice from behind her, he stealthily walked away and she stood up turning around watching his silvery hair sway back and fourth in the wind before smiling.

.

* * *

.

Kaede stirred some herbs inside the pot before she heard a small pant and a scuffing of feet outside of the hut. She closed her eye shaking her head with a smile, "Ye know that your lord is searching for ye, do ye not?"

"Don't tell him I'm out here granny."

She smiled taking her bow from beside her so she can use it heavily as she strained to stand. Her bones were not as they used to be, not anymore. Close to eighty seasons had come and gone for the old miko. She had lived through the shikkon era when her sister carried the jewel and the time of great evil when it was spilt into pieces.

One knew when their time was coming to an end.

Kaede decided she wouldn't alarm any of the children she had taken as her own grandchildren, they didn't need to know about things like that yet. Time would open their eyes to such things of the natural cycle of life and death. Kaede had no children of her own, devoting her life to being a miko. So she took great pleasure being around the younglings.

Pushing the bamboo curtain aside she walked out into the daylight looking for the child that was close by. An unusual rock caught her eye. For when do rocks have a fluffy tail? She smiled and lightly tapped the 'rock' with her bow. A 'pop' was made and in a dust a small child leapt upwards.

"Granny Kaede!" The young neko child rubbed his sore rump where she had struck him catching the stray leaf.

Quietly she laughed hiding the cough from her old lungs. The small child sat down on the ground with his arms tightly folded glaring the other way sticking out his lower lip pouting that he had been caught. The small demon was very adorable, messy cream colored hair and sky blue eyes like his mother with black demonic stripes on his face and wrists. The best part about this cute little kitten was that there were two of them. She looked around trying to find his twin, "Where is your brother?"

"He hides better than me." He stuck out his tongue for good measure.

She laughed before a harsh cough escaped her lips. The child asked for her well being with great concern in his voice.

"Granny Kaede are you okay?"

"Tis nothing to concern yourself with." She pointed over the bridge towards the town, "Go find your father and bring him here."

"Okay." He walked forward but stopped before looking at her with worried blue eyes. She nodded for him to go on with a smile before he smiled right back. He kicked a rock in his way that popped into another kitten just like him before they began to fight and chase after each other.

She smiled leaning heavily against the frame of the door shivering lightly, and it wasn't for the cold or her old bones. Her eye wandered towards the west of the village.

A demon of great power was headed this way.

.

* * *

.

Rin slipped off the dragon mount lightly landing on her feet. Something large nudged her ribs and she turned around smiling at Ah before wrapping her arms around its neck in appreciation. They stood before a dirt road in the middle of the dense forest that would lead them towards the village just outside of Inuyasha's forest. Rin walked over to stand by her Lord's side, looking up adoringly at him. He didn't look at her, only staring hard to the direction at the village.

Sesshoumaru on the other hand was slightly confused. He did not scent his brother or that miko anywhere nearby. He turned around looking at the squat toad that was standing on the dragons back, "Stay here." When it looked like Jakken would speak he narrowed his eyes allowing them to bleed red. For some reason his patience was cut short. Jakken quickly withdrew anything he would have protested about that order. And with that he began to walk towards the village.

Rin wondered her Lord's behavior. It was not like him to so quickly snap at the poor toad, at least not this early in the morning. She turned giving Jakken a small smile before running to catch up with her masters graceful steps. She did not ask him why he was so tense, or why he even wished to enter the village when it was obvious he did not want to. She asked if she could go visit herself that did not entail her master coming along. But she knew that if she were to ask he would probably not answer.

The trail led them under a series of red painted toji gates lining the pathway to the edge of the forest. As soon as they stepped out of the forest both her and her lord master stopped dead cold. She gasped at the sight of the village she had not been to since she was a small child. It had tripled in size since her last arrival.

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at the growth of this village. Not any village in his domain was ever this big. A hundred of humans must be living in this settlement.

Before them, between two of the largest toji were two twin set of statures on either side of the walkway both carved of granite. Two priestesses wearing traditional garbs stood watching all that passed these gates. One had hardened eyes of a warrior with a bow in hand as she watched all who passed by like a hawk. The other held a more serene face with a light smile and her hands clasped in prayer as her long hair lay draped over her shoulders unbound like the woman it represented.

Rin stared at both life sized priestesses before stopping at a marker directly between both of them in the middle of the road. It was a black stone with a shiny surface with kanji etched into it. She furrowed her eyebrows silently cursing herself knowing she should pay more attention to the lady phoenix, "Milord, I know not how to read."

Sesshoumaru stood before the stone staring at the words, "On this day in the spring of 2200, a great evil by the name of Naraku was defeated by the uniting of humans and demons. And by this may we one day live in harmony."

Rin got on her knees before the tall stone looking at the list of names placing her fingers on each and every one of them. There was a particularly long name etched in kanji into the stone, "Milord Sesshoumaru?" She turned to see her master nod once down to her. Rin smiled, "Miko-sama is too kind not to forget."

Sesshoumaru turned to the miko statures, particularly the one with the more serene face and her hands clasped together in prayer. He took a step forward still towering the miko as it stared at him with stone eyes. On the rock under the woman were a few words, 'our beloved miko.'

He stared at the stone miko before him. Something was wrong, he could sense it. Taking a step back he took one glance at her noting that this representation was not correct but he did not know why that was.

Rin walked towards the statue and held out her hands placing them on the cold stone hands. She smiled softly remembering the odd girl, who could forget her? She taught her many things. She taught her to fold a paper crane, she taught her how to braid hair, and most importantly… that there were others like her… others that were not prejudice based on blood.

Kagome did it she loved someone with black blood and didn't care what the other humans said about it. _'Damn the consequences and be happy Rin' _Kagome had told her. After the years had passed Rin wanted to know and see Kagome happy with her hanyou mate. _'I want to see myself what you meant by that Kagome… I want you to see me too.'_ She had no doubt Kagome would be the most beautiful mother she'd ever met. She let go of the statue and clapped her hands once bowing her head in respect.

Sesshoumaru watched Rin for a moment as she touched the statue of the miko saying nothing, her eyes had filled with tears and she smiled. He turned walking past the stone marker and over the small rolling hillside to the village before stopping. The village was rather impressive for Musashi's domain without a warlord present. The streets were lined with buildings rather than huts as the ground was paved with stone and mortar.

Rin looked up at the sight of the lanterns strung about between buildings in various sizes and colors. "Beautiful milord."

There were few people wandering the streets tending the small shops not working at the fields. An old couple passed by Rin and Sesshoumaru bowing their head greeting them warmly in passing. Rin noticed with some relief that the villagers were comfortable with a full demon walking in the middle of the village. She let out a sigh in relief she was holding in.

Sesshoumaru stopped when he felt the presence of a powerful demon. Rin stood beside him and noticed his tense posture before she took a step behind him.

"CATCH ME IF YOU CAN SLOWPOKE!"

"NO WAY MOUSE BREATH!"

Two kids ran inhumanly fast through the streets jumping in and out of trees, around the young woman and demon lord before one caught the other and there was a bundle of cream and black colored fur tackling pulling hair snarling and hissing at one another.

They broke apart for a moment. They were two tiny little foxlike cat creatures covered in cream colored fur with black tips on their paws and fox ears wearing little hakamas and haori's. Their tails were flipping about madly as they stared down each other with narrowed sky blue eyes growling lightly.

Rin put a hand to her chest, "Kawaii."

One kit lunged for the other and somewhere in the struggle one brother bit the other's finger. "Owww that hurt!" His blue eyes looked down at his finger that was sore before his eyes began to water and he yelled out, "PAPAAAAAAAA!"

The other child identical to the one that was wailing put his two paws to his mouth, "Uh oh."

Sesshoumaru had not been looking at the children and the spectacle the two demons had been making. He was waiting on the arrival of the other whom was now headed this way to the child's cries.

The clouds grew dark as the ground shook lightly with the expanded aura. The storekeepers stood up looking to the side nervously.

"**ENOUGH!"**

The two children stilled at the sound ceasing their crying.

Sesshoumaru saw the tall taiyoukai headed this way. The demons aura crackled sharply causing the abnormality with the clouds above. With his sense of smell he could scent that this demon was foreign to him. He had a powerful shouki and from the fine armor and clothing he wore to the marking on his forehead Sesshoumaru surmised him to be a demon warlord of sorts.

The tall demon had long red hair trailing down his back messy upon his head wearing fine dark colored clothing likened to his own and armor with plating over the shoulders and on his forearms. His split red fox tail twitched back and fourth as he walked. He wore no sword he could see in his emerald and red sash but that did not mean he was not armed.

The taiyoukai stood frowning at the pups that had been making a scene on the streets with his hands clenched to his sides balled into fists. The two kits crawled towards him and mewled at his feet rubbing their faces on him and after a moment he let out a sigh as the crackling energy dissipated.

"Sesshoumaru it has been a very long time." The tai murmured in a deep voice turning his head acknowledging the taiyoukai that had been standing there patiently waiting for him.

He narrowed his eyes slightly at the informality. Sesshoumaru said nothing although his mind was trying to place where he had seen this demon before.

The tai smiled gently before acknowledging the young woman to Sesshoumaru's side, "And you Rin, you've grown so much."

Rin blinked a few times in confusion.

He opened his mouth when he was cut off with, "PAPA HE BIT ME!" "YOU BIT ME!" He shut his eyes in annoyance, **"KITO! KURA!"** Both the little kits silenced and sat down staring up at him.

"Demon, you will identify yourself to this Sesshoumaru." Sesshoumaru had not been able to place this demon by scent or sight.

He stared for a moment before he chuckled low, "Of course forgive me." He formally bowed to the lord of the west, "I am Lord Kumiko of Mount Inari and the provinces therein, at your service Lord Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru had heard of this lord before staking claim to some of the territories north to the boundaries of his own. He thought it was a foolish attempt with the amount of feral youkai and murderous humans roaming about. This tai had even once tried to present himself to the greater tai but Sesshoumaru had neither time nor patience to indulge him. He did not come here to speak to this demon he had business to attend to.

Rin saw her lord walk away and she bowed her head and quickly began to follow her lord master.

He watched him walk a few steps away narrowing his eyes at Sesshoumaru's back. Sesshoumaru doesn't make wayward appearances in random human villages, "You won't find him here Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru stopped.

"That is why you are here, correct?"

Rin turned her head to look at the demon lord wondering how he knew, "Excuse me, milord… how does Lord Kumiko know why we are here?"

The tai gave her a smile, "Forgive me for lack of proprietary but I do know Rin as I know Sesshoumaru. Your presence here is quite unexpected."

Rin nodded, "I'm sorry but I don't know Lord Kumiko."

"Of course you do Rin. Time has not gone by as slowly as you think little one. I have taken my Lord father's name unto myself but perhaps you would remember me as Shippou instead."

Sesshoumaru was half turned staring at the taiyoukai from the edge of his eyes. It was not expected to see the once orphaned kitsune that perched himself on his brother's shoulder and was adopted by a human female to be a taiyoukai of stature.

"Shippou is that really you." Rin put her hand to her lips covering the gasp.

Shippou bobbed his head once reaching back rubbing the back of his neck under his thick mat of hair, "Yea… that's me." He gave the girl a laugh in a rather childish gesture that he never outgrew. He looked down when he felt a tug at his sash looking at two sets of sky blue eyes.

"Can we go to grannys?" One asked as the other bobbed his head up and down.

"Go, and do not misbehave I wish to leave before the sun is at its peak." He watched the two kits run off towards the hill.

"Shippou how long has it been!" Rin walked towards him and held out her hands.

He smiled at the lovely woman noting her soft golden hair and kind brown eyes… completely unlike the man who raised her. Shippou took a hand and kissed her knuckle softly, "Too long Lady Rin, far too long."

"Do you still take the form of the pink balloon?"

"Aheh…" Shippou partly blushed, "I've gained several more intimidating forms if that's what you're wondering."

"And you're a lord as well." She smiled. "Was your father a great Lord, is that why you took his name and lands?"

Shippou's smiled faded remembering his father and how he was so easily killed by the thunder brothers Hiten and Manten. His father was indeed a lord of his clan over a small patch of forest in some unknown part of the wood. "He was not a great lord by stature but by character."

She smiled at him having wondered how much time had passed to turn a young kitsune pup into this great demon before her. "Are you taking care of orphans Shippou?"

"Orphans?" Shippou shook his head, "Those my lady are my own children."

"T… those are yours?" Rin blinked. She never would have expected… well he was a rather handsome demon… so… well… "Really?" She blurted out incredulously and slapped her hands over her mouth at how bad she made it sound.

Shippou chuckled, "Their fighting reminds me of two brothers I know, isn't that correct Lord Sesshoumaru?"

Sesshoumaru said nothing to the offhanded question. The afternoon was quickly approaching and he had not found what he had been seeking out. "The hanyou, kitsune… tell me his location."

His normally jovial eyes darkened as he looked down to the stone pavement. That's correct, many did not know. Shippou bowed his head closing his eyes.

"Shippou?" Rin asked with concern in her voice.

"I think its best if you come to the northern borders of Mount Inari."

"Explain." Sesshoumaru did not wish to waste his time. With the young lords words he found himself becoming intrigued with the fate of his brother and mate.

Shippou shook his head, "It is not I who should do the explaining."

Sesshoumaru waved a hand for him to continue.

"Now to get my precious children." Shippou's frustration came back in full fold. Didn't he want to have kids? Well what happened? They happened, that's what happened.

He walked over the small bridge towards the elder miko's hut. He stopped at the meager dwelling and prepared himself for the worst. Kaede was sitting on a furry chair rocking back and fourth giving him a weak smile with one crazy looking eye.

Did they think they could trick he, the master of illusions?

In a flash he had Kaede by the scruff of her neck, the image of the woman popping back into number one kicking for him to let go. Now for two. He grabbed the furry rocking chair and it popped into number two. Now that he had both children he yelled, "Kaede-sama, we're leaving."

The elder miko walked out of the hut smiling at seeing the young father deal with his unruly children. "So soon Shippou? Ye arrived just this morning." Kaede heard the laughter of a young woman and noticed the tall demanding figure of the lord of the west standing behind Shippou. "Sesshoumaru-sama." She bowed her head in respect.

Her eye locked with the woman by his side and by clothing alone she remembered the girl that had once been a child by her masters side, "Is that ye Rin?"

Rin nodded walking forward to the elder miko bowing before her, "Lady Kaede, it is an honor."

Kaede placed a hand on the girls arm, "No child, the honor is all mine." She stepped back reaching into her robe pulling something out gesturing the girl take it. Kaede knew the inquisitive look the young girl was giving her, "Kagome would have wished ye to have it."

"Kagome?" Rin reached out taking the small pouch opening it letting a small marble that was held on a chain with bits of demon bone fall onto her palm. The bead held a dull grey shine to it but she instantly knew what it was. Many years lasting three lifetimes fought for this, "The shikkon no tama? But Lady Kaede, wouldn't this have been erased from this world long ago? Kagome-sama told me she would wish on it."

Kaede turned to Shippou who shook his head slowly. So they did not know? She took the girls hand closing the young woman's fingers around the bead, "It sleeps without its protector Lady Rin. Keep it, as a reminder of better days." With that leaned over kissing both children that were still being held by the scruff of their necks by their father and slowly made her way back into her hut.

Rin clutched the shikkon no tama to her chest. _'As a reminder of better days?'_ Something was not right, she looked towards Shippou despair written in her eyes demanding Shippou tell her what the elder miko had spoken without asking for it.

Shippou turned not willing to meet the girl's eyes, "We should arrive in a couple of hours." He did not notice the two inquisitive stares as he used one of Kagome's distinct terminologies for time. "Forgive me but I do have one stop to make before we depart."

He set his children gently on the ground before brushing past them walking up the long set of stairs, long hair swaying gently as he walked. "Come." He called out to them. The two kittens had trouble climbing the steps behind their father but managed to keep up with his long elegant steps. One of them actually used his father's fluffy red tail for leverage.

A kit tugged on his father's loose pant legs looking back over his shoulder to the tall demon lord that was following them, "Father who is that demon and girl?" Shippou reached down taking his sons small hand before leaning the other way taking his other sons hand so they would not stray from him. "He is Lord Sesshoumaru of the Western Lands, and the woman is Lady Rin."

Rin had a hand over her heart looking at the young father as he walked with his children. First of all Shippou's pups were just too cute, and it was an adoring sight to see a father with his two children. She smiled, the gesture catching the sight of her lord master.

Shippou walked under another pair of red painted toji before he stopped before an old well. He let go of his sons hand before reaching into his robes pulling out a bouquet of daisies. He tossed the flowers into the well ignoring the raised eyebrow of the demon lord and confused look of the young woman. His ear twitched hearing the sound of someone in the forest coming this way, and by the smell of things that toad demon was unfortunately still alive.

Sesshoumaru turned as Ah-Oh came out of the dense brush with Jakken riding on top of it. "Return to the estate." He ordered his retainer.

"But milord…" Jakken knew that look. Do it or get killed. He bowed and hauled the reign of the steed to the side causing it to turn around back into the forest. He never got to do anything. grumble grumble….

The two kits were snickering at one another seeing the imp ordered back with a look. They looked up at the clearing of a throat to see their father glaring down at them. Instantly both shut up.

"We're leaving now." He took a step back as his eyes widened as his pupils became tiny slivers then his eyes went completely red. A swirling of leaves surrounded him as he slowly changed out of his human form into his true form. In a final gust of wind he released the last of his demonic blood growing into a large red fox with two swishing tails behind him

Sesshoumaru did not realize the kitsune had titan form. The child fox never displayed such power aside from weak fox magic. The large demon turned, crimson eyes looking back at him before nodding his massive head once leaning down gripping the two kits by the scruff of their necks and disappearing into the forest.

Sesshoumaru rose into the air as his demon cloud formed underneath him. Rin stood by his side having long ago been used to the mystical cloud. He followed the large red fox as it ran through the forest full sprint.

Questions in his mind arose as he watched his ward glance down at the tama in hand. He could already surmise the worse but was curious as to what had transpired. Sesshoumaru would wait until he knew the facts before jumping to conclusions.

They came into a thicker forest bordering the northern lands when the large demon slowed down eventually stopping before reverting back into form in a whirlwind of leaves. Shippou sighed as he picked up his sleeping kits holding them in one arm. They snuggled into him for warmth and he smiled shaking his head.

The cloud descended and Rin walked over to Shippou looking down at the two adorable balls of fur, "Lord Shippou they are cute."

"Only when sleeping." Shippou mumbled as he turned his head looking up to the side of the mountain that held a mountain fortress long since destroyed. The forest and begun to grow around it once again and soon what used to be the slayers village would become nothing more than a passing memory.

"What is up there Lord Shippou?" Rin asked quietly to not disturb the kits.

"That is what remains of a dream long since gone." He answered and she stared at him quizzically. "Kohaku I know you are out there." Shippou called out to the darkened wood.

From the branch of a tall nearby tree rustling was heard before a shadowed figure dropped to the ground and stood tall walking forward into the low light of the setting sun.

Rin stared as the young man she knew from childhood stood a few feet from her, he had grown much taller long ebony hair brushing his shoulders wearing the traditional clothing of a slayer as his face forever kept those childish freckles she remembered so vividly. When his deep brown eyes bore into hers she blushed softly, "Kohaku, is that you?"

"Lady Rin?" Kohaku stared at the young woman with a soft serene face and golden hair. She was… rather beautiful. But his musings were cut short as her protector stood in front of the girl eyeing him with critical golden eyes. Kohaku took a nervous step back closer to his lord master. "Lord Sesshoumaru." He bowed his head.

Sesshoumaru flat out glared at the demon slayer he had known as a child manipulated by Naraku. Somehow his eyes towards his ward he disapproved.

"Kohaku, is he still out there?" Shippou had left him here when he went to the village. Inuyasha never returned to Kaede's village so had stayed in this place while Shippou visited.

Kohaku turned to Shippou and nodded his head, "Hai my lord…"

"Take them to the estate to my mate." He placed the kits in Kohaku's arms and watched as Kohaku looked around towards the wood before looking at Sesshoumaru again. "It's alright, have everyone prepare for my return." Kohaku nodded before he summoned an eel like demon from the forest and leapt onto its back gliding into the skies.

"I had to give the boy a reason to live Lord Sesshoumaru, do not take that from him." Shippou turned to glare at Sesshoumaru with brilliant emerald eyes.

"My patience grows thin." Sesshoumaru wanted answers and this time it was to satisfy his own curiosity. "Where are the hanyou and his wench?" He could not scent Inuyasha anywhere nearby.

"My lord." Rin sensed his impatience and put a hand on his shoulder to calm him down.

Shippou looked to the youkai lord with a stern face, "I need a promise from you first Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes, "You are treading on my tolerance." His youki flared to the demon before him in a taste of his power.

Shippou narrowed his eyes cracking his knuckles letting his aura flare out as well accepting his challenge.

Rin all but felt the force of two colliding auras, "Milord you promised."

Yes he did promise his ward he would not resort to fighting while visiting. But he did not tell the girl he wouldn't hurt the slayer boy. Sesshoumaru raised his chin a bit, "What are your terms fox."

"Don't kill him."

"That is all?"

"That is all." Shippou waited until Sesshoumaru nodded once before heading into the thick grove of wood.

A light rain began to fall and Rin drew closer to her master as they followed Shippou into the thicket on a small trail that had been well traveled. There was something not right about all of this. She had a bad feeling that made her stomach turn painfully. They followed a small stream to the sound of a faint waterfall where the thick trees were replaced with large swaying willows. It was calm, but she felt an overwhelming sense of sorrow coming from this place and she did not have spiritual powers.

There was something familiar tickling his nose but he could not place what it was. Sesshoumaru stopped when they came across a small waterfall surrounded by mature willows and crystal clear waters. There was a distinguishable scent of something very familiar, like a name about to cross his lips.

Sesshoumaru turned his head towards the waterfall where a man sat on a rock his back was turned to them as long black hair trailed down touching the tall grasses. He was hunkered underneath a black cloak never moving to turn around even though he heard them approach.

Shippou took a step forward stopping right behind the figure. "I have returned."

"So I heard."

Shippou frowned Inuyasha must be in a real sour mood to bite back at him like that. The rain beat down on his long ebony hair. His bangs were too long his hair was in sore need of a trim and a wash. He usually looked like this whenever he came to visit this place never leaving it for days on end in an odd form of masochistic self torture. "You look like shit."

"Well ya know…" He bit over his shoulder knowing there were two more people here. He just didn't care who it was.

Shippou shook his head as he stared down at his long time friend, "Inuyasha, you have company don't be rude."

Sesshoumaru wasn't prepared for the shock when he heard his brother's name called out to this filthy human.

Inuyasha snorted lightly with a small 'feh.' "Shippou out of all the people you could have brought…" He turned his head looking up at someone he had not seen in a long time. "…you could have at least gotten me someone I gave a shit about."

Sesshoumaru actually gasped, mouth partly open to accept the inward rushing of air. Rin slapped her hand over her mouth and stuck herself to his side. Before him sitting on that rock sat a human covered in a black robe from the weather. Pitch black hair hung loosely over his shoulder matting slightly as it trailed to the ground. His unruly bangs were longer than usual partly covering his face making his countenance look slightly more demonic than when he wasn't in his night of humanity.

Inuyasha's face was much older than his own placing the mortal close to his middle ages unless time had been unkind. One dark colored eye stared directly at him, as the left was completely white with no sign as to how the abnormality came to be.

"That bad huh?" Inuyasha stared at Sesshoumaru's reaction, having long lost most of his will to care about what he looked like. He turned his head back to the stone he now spent all of his time looking at, "Oh and by the way, hello brother." He huddled himself a bit more in the thick black fabric draped around his shoulders keeping the cold out. Just the sight of Sesshoumaru's widened eyes was enough to put a smile on his face.

The first he had given in a long time.

Shippou placed both hands on Inuyasha's shoulders. "Inuyasha, Lord Sesshoumaru and Lady Rin came to see you. It is rude to ignore your guests."

"Fuck off." He bit back to the kitsune mostly for his brother's sake. The hands on his shoulders tightened to the point Shippou's talons were digging into his skin, "Fine."

Inuyasha rolled his eye slipping off the rock to stand up not bothering to hide the heavy limp on his left leg. He shrugged the back of his cloak off throwing it on his granite chair. Both swords were strapped to his back under his thick mat of hair and Inuyasha just folded his arms to his 'guests.'

Some things never changed and Sesshoumaru was one of them. He stood tall, proud with an arrogant stance as always perfectly dressed in his demon garbs and armor. His faultless face still held the bold demonic coloring as his fathers gold eyes he had lost long ago stared down at him, eyeing the two swords he now kept with him all the time. Before Inuyasha could come up with some scathe comeback Sesshoumaru interrupted him.

Sesshoumaru could only stare at the human dressed black haori, hakamas and bandages. He appeared sick for a human, face too pale and appearance unkempt. The sight did not sit well with him and he frowned knowing if he was to have seen this man wandering Japan he would never have guessed it to be Inuyasha. "Is this your time of the lunar cycle half breed?"

Inuyasha actually winced at his brothers demanding voice, having not heard it for many years. "Half breed?" A long time ago he would have thought it an insult. A weary smile rested on his lips, drawn out on his tired face and eyes, "I ain't even half a demon anymore dipshit don't your nose fucking work anymore?"

His eye caught the young woman beside Sesshoumaru. She held onto his brother's empty sleeve clutching the fabric tightly as she stared at him. Was this the small runt of a human that followed his brother around like a lost puppy?

After a moment of tense silence he just simply blew up at Sesshoumaru's unresponsive state, "What the fuck were you expecting to find after all these years asshole? I know, how about this…" He waved both his hands in the air, "…surprise!"

Sesshoumaru said nothing to the words his brother used to express himself silently noting a hiss of pain in his brothers' lips when he moved his arms around. Inuyasha used his left hand to grip his right shoulder kneading the injury with his hand. Considering the lack of blood he surmised it was an old wound, like perhaps the limp in his leg.

"Fucking hell." He knew it was just going to hurt in the morning and probably most of the day. Sake it was. Inuyasha even remembered where he kept his hidden stash.

Shippou rolled his eyes and reached out smacking Inuyasha none too lightly on the back of the head. "Enough."

Rin took a tentative step forward, "Um… Inuyasha-sama?" When he glared at her she couldn't help but take a step back closer to her lord master shivering at the coldness in his eye and the lack of color in the other. "Where is your wife Inuyasha-sama?"

Inuyasha blinked when she said that, after a moment he finally realized whom she was referring to. "Kagome?" The girl eagerly shook her head and he gave her a sad smile, "Kagome was never my wife."

Sesshoumaru turned sharply at his brother hearing those words. If she wasn't his mate then where was the miko? "The wolf's mate then, I presume. Tell me where his pack is for Rin wishes to see the girl."

"Kouga?" Inuyasha chuckled a bit, the sound rather hoarse having long not used it. He knew his brother wasn't making a joke but the thought of Kagome being that wolfs woman was too much, "Give her a bit more class than that Sesshoumaru. She ain't with that wimpy wolf shit."

"Then where is she?" Rin finally took a step forward in front of the human that stared blankly at her with one good eye not willing to speak. She looked over to Shippou who bowed his head hiding his eyes from her. She walked over to him reaching out gripping the long sleeve of his black and violet haori. She wanted an answer, she was going to get it. "Shippou, where is Kagome-nee-chan? Where is your mother?"

"So you didn't tell them?" Inuyasha laughed a bit at both Sesshoumaru and the girl's surprised reaction. If he had seen such a face on his brother twenty years ago he would have shit a brick.

And it would have hurt.

Inuyasha turned pointing at the stone under the willow, gesturing it for her. "Read it yourself girl."

Rin didn't even know how to read. But she had lived in war and grief far too long not to recognize a gravestone. Her mouth went completely open. She felt weak the world revolved once or twice before she fainted clean away.


	6. Six

Through the dark dense forests of the northern mountains it is said lives a powerful guardian of the forest.

Should you become lost in the forest offer up a cocoa bean to the Tengu and the god himself shall grant safe passage through his forests.

Offerings of these rare foods are left at the base of his shrine. In honor of the benevolent creature a thousand toji were erected to his name, signifying the thousand gates to heaven to the mountain under the cover of fog that does not lift.

Few have glimpsed the creature but it is said that he is titan in size. Once his tail splits nine times he shall he be turned to silver and can gain the infinite power of visions and all the lands shall prosper under his rule.

…

"Hey look, chocolate." Shippou spotted a basket full of small beans between some poles. He grabbed a handful and began to pop them into his mouth. "Well… not really."

Inuyasha turned and glared at him, "I can't believe the shit they say about you." He swiped at what appeared to be a newly made pole wondering how many there were now.

Shippou shrugged a shoulder, "The humans like to amuse themselves, so be it."

* * *

**To Wash it All Away**

**Six.**

* * *

It was raining heavily this evening and still they had not returned. Miroku better not have detoured while seeing 'ominous clouds.' Shippou reached up and with a gentle shove with the backside of his hand the bamboo curtain was pushed aside looking towards the darkened dismal night.

A small flame off in the distance shone and with his keen eyesight he could see the silhouette of a man hunched over, tattered long hair about his form standing out in the pouring rain.

"I think perhaps you came for answers, and found more questions instead." Shippou let go of the curtain watching it flutter closed. He turned, long elegant emerald robes draped around his form before looking upon Sesshoumaru who merely stood in the middle of the room silently staring at him with intense golden scrutiny.

The dark wood of the grand hall coupled with the glow of candle caused the pale features of Sesshoumaru to contrast greatly. He looked so out of place within the rustic setting of his estate. Shippou crossed the great hall and towards a simple dark wood chair on elevated platform next to another unoccupied seat. Banners of emerald gold and red tapestry were draped on the back walls as leaves of various colors lay in bowls set about on the ground.

Shippou sat down letting out a soft sigh, "I'll tell you what I know. Your brother I found years ago in Kaede's village broken, alone, and human."

Sesshoumaru paced forward silently as he stood before the kitsune, "And the woman?"

Shippou folded his arms looking up into the golden eyes of the lord of the west. He had personally scoured the lands looking everywhere, even slave traders and the filthiest of places in hopes that somehow she was still here in this world. He had never known such atrocities until he had seen them with his own eyes. The only other place she could ever be was sealed from him. "I wish I knew, if only to lie to rest her remains. We estimate she disappeared not long after Naraku."

"And you are certain she is dead?"

Shippou sighed, "The death of the tama is proof."

Sesshoumaru reached into his robe pulling out the chain that carried the small sphere that had been given to Rin earlier that evening. It was a dull grey color and although it had once harbored great power it was as the kitsune said… dead.

Somehow nothing of this seemed right, as though great pieces of this mystery were being withheld from him. Sesshoumaru merely nodded for now accepting this answer since there were perhaps none more to give, "And the hanyou has spoken nothing of it?"

"Inuyasha has kept us in the dark for years."

"And you accept this?"

"I accept his atonement."

Sesshoumaru merely nodded, it seems that the past would not bring fourth answers not from this kitsune. "And his injuries?"

Shippou looked up at Sesshoumaru, "Kikyou." He watched as Sesshoumaru nodded once knowing what had happened with the mention of a single name. But Sesshoumaru did not know all that had transpired that day, the pain the soulless miko caused, the unanswered questions… it was all gone now save for a single mortal mans memory. And eventually that too would pass and he would forever be plagued with unanswered questions. He thought it odd that the great and powerful demon lord would even care about such things considered beneath him but Shippo never bought into the idea that Sesshoumaru didn't give an ass about his brother.

Shippou stood at the sound of horses and after a moment the shoji doors slid open and a dark figure stood in black robe wrapped in an ornate purple and orange cloth. In one hand he carried a long gold staff, the other that was wrapped in violet cloth and rosaries reached up to pull the wicker hat off his head. Long raven hair was graced with several strands of white was tied back loosely. His features held a few aged lines but those deep almost purple eyes would never loose the glint they always held, "Miroku you would be late to your own funeral."

"You're mistaken my friend, I would not show up at all." Miroku walked into the grand hall with a huge smile on his face. "Sorry I am so late we stopped by the most peculiar village plagued with ominous clou…." Miroku stopped when he finally noticed the statuesque lord of the western lands.

Shippou ignored Miroku's silent questioning glance. "Lady Rin fainted… when she heard. She may require assistance." He clarified.

Miroku began to think. Lady Rin… If he remembered correctly she was a young girl when he had last seen her. She must be a striking beauty now. Miroku wanted to smile but he was well aware of her guardian and how his life would be cut very short if he should try anything, not just by her protector but his wife. He leaned against his staff the best alternative to this predicament was someone that would require a great deal of explanation.

"Where is Luna?" Shippou asked quietly seeing Miroku with a troubled look on his features.

"She is outside, perhaps at the shrine." Miroku stole a glance at Sesshoumaru whom was silently staring. He turned around and slid the door open. He was surprised to see her standing there as still as a statue staring forward. She must have been two inches from the door the entire time. Her garbs were drenched in rainwater as her ink colored hair stuck to her face and she wore no shoes.

"Luna, come in out of the rain." Miroku knelt in front of the petite teenager wrapping his arms around her picking her up bringing her inside. She was stiff as a board, cold and wet. "You shouldn't be outside if its raining." He set the girl down in front of Shippou who took off his cloak and wrapped it around her shivering form.

Shippou rubbed her arms a bit eyeing her choice of clothing looking up at Miroku who merely shrugged. Why on earth was the girl wearing the red and white garbs of a priestess? He smiled when she raised a hand with a fistful of leaves from rare trees, "Quite the collection." He watched as she turned her head looking to the other taiyoukai in white, "Luna, you're assistance is needed." Shippou motioned to the small sitting room behind the hall where Rin was currently resting. She stared a moment before turning away from Sesshoumaru walking towards the sitting room pulling the bamboo curtain shut.

Shippou ignored Sesshoumaru's eyes for a moment. Luna too was another enigma that he could not explain.

"I'm sorry Shippou it was her idea." Miroku muttered.

"You're her father and you allowed it." Shippou frowned.

"She can be quite persuasive."

Shippou let out a sigh reaching up massaging his temples, "This complicates already complicated things." There had come a point in time where the raven haired girl began developing similarities in features to two other priestesses. So for Luna to begin dressing as perhaps a former incarnate… did not bode well for one that had once been hanyou.

Speaking of, "Go tell that insolent bastard to get in out of the rain before I go out there and deal with him myself."

Before Miroku would go outside Sesshoumaru began walking towards the shoji doors. "Sesshoumaru… you said you would not kill your brother I am trusting your word."

Sesshoumaru paused at the door, a hand raised to slide it open. "Kitsune, my half brother is already dead." He slid the door open and stepped out into the cold rain. His golden eyes glowed in the low light as he silently neared the human drenched in water. His nose could pick up the trace of sickness already as well as the presence of sake. There was a single road cleared of forest that led up Mount Inrai lined with a hundred Toji. At the top of the road under a large toji stood Inuyasha seemly a lookout leaning against a pole.

He stood three steps away from Inuyasha before the man suddenly raised a sword tip pointed mere centimeters from his throat. Inuyasha himself had not moved, his body still lay lax resting against the gate with his head bowed, thick strands of hair covering his face.

After a moment he slowly lowered his sword and with a flick of the wrist, sheathed it all while not sparing him a glance. It was a dismal sight his brother made standing there drenched in the cold rain. His hand almost touched the tenseiga when Inuyasha slowly looked up turning his head towards him. One white eye and one human eye stared at him, the lines in his face evident of lack of sleep and the color of his skin indicating sickness. The only presence that this human was his brother was the rosary around his neck and the tetsusaiga at his hip.

"Why did you come back after all these years?" The very last person Inuyasha had ever thought to see again was Sesshoumaru. "You told me yourself you'd never see me again and don't use Rin as an excuse."

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow. There were years that Sesshoumaru cursed the name of his younger brother. When Inuyasha was killed by that priestess he had labeled him as filth to his feet yet he had no answer so he said nothing.

Inuyasha stared for a moment before he snorted shaking his head, "And what were you expecting to find, me a father with tons of kids and Kagome at my side? What would that have done for you Sesshoumaru, satisfied your curiosity before you tried to kill me again? Or do you like what you see now?"

Inuyasha shook his head looking off into the wood as he folded his arms when all he received was silence, "I have no blood ties to your father anymore. I don't even go by the name of Inuyasha outside of this village."

"Yet you still carry father's fang."

Inuyasha unsheathed the sword and held it out by its blade towards Sesshoumaru, "If it means severing my ties with you, take it."

Sesshoumaru stared at the tetsusaiga for a moment. The offer was not even tempting he had no use for a sword that denied him, "She knew, did she not?"

Inuyasha turned his head to the side staring at Sesshoumaru, "You came out all this way to antagonize me Sesshoumaru?" He laughed a bit looking off into the forest.

"You are human, alone, and a pathetic excuse." Sesshoumaru was met with silence. He turned to the forest and stared for a bit listening to the rain beating down on the ground in puddles and the distant cries of birds and animals. "Did you kill her?"

"What do you care the answer to that, you tried to kill her too." Inuyasha glared over his shoulder, "She wasn't stupid I bet she knew I was fucking around with Kikyou behind her back all those months."

"But she was stupid enough to trust you." Inuyasha stiffened and his heart began to beat quickly. Sesshoumaru waited for the insult throwing, the anger or rage his brother would surly toss but was a bit surprised that this would not be the case. Instead Inuyasha just stood there quietly refusing to speak. Sesshoumaru knew that whatever transpired the evening the girl Kagome disappeared Inuyasha knew what happened if not did the deed himself.

For what reason did he have to kill the girl then years later kill the girl's incarnation? None of this made any sense. Then again this was Inuyasha the whelp often made no sense whatsoever.

Inuyasha was oblivious to the critical eyes of his brother, he sneezed loudly. Letting out a miserable moan he knew tomorrow he was going to be sick and have a hangover but at the moment he didn't care. Now if this deplorable demon would just leave him alone he could continue his little slide into misery's arms. "What the hell are you still doing here?"

Sesshoumaru looked down the road Inuaysha was currently guarding. "The only demon worth a fight in this area is this Sesshoumaru, so what is the meaning of you guarding this road? Are you here to prove a point, or to show me how pathetic you've become?"

Inuyasha snorted once at Sesshoumaru's lame attempt at an insult. Sango was much more severe with her threats and her language than Sesshoumaru could ever be. "You know why I stopped wearing the fire rat haori ten years ago? I buried it so the smell would disappear, so every trace of me would just die like a bad memory. I never wanted to see you again and I thought the feeling was mutual. Leave me the hell alone Sesshoumaru I hate you, I always have and I always will." He shoved himself off the toji pole and began to walk back towards his dismal watery hut.

"Why remain a pathetic broken mortal then? Why not cease your life or beg me to cease it for you?" Sesshoumaru watched as Inuyasha stopped walking, his head rising a bit.

"I may be a pathetic miserable piece of shit, but I have one last purpose in life."

"Do enlighten me."

"I won't let her die a third time."

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow as Inuyasha looked over his shoulder towards him, void eye staring at him in a dark almost demonic manner. For a mere moment this mortal's hair flushed white and a dark golden eye stared at him as he sensed a powerful demonic energy for a split moment from the human before him but it was a mere passing fancy as Inuyasha just walked away from him leaving him in the rain.

Sesshoumaru nodded his head having found his answer. As he stood there staring at the desolate broken form of Inuyasha something uneasy settled deep within. She was dead yet the answer brought him no closure.

* * *

She was pretty.

She touched the sleeping lady's brown hair, it was soft. Luna reached up to her own hair and touched it, it was not soft. She frowned.

She let out a sigh shifting her weight on her knees and sitting back. He said she was needed but the lady was merely sleeping so she would sit here and watch her sleep. Luna took the lady's hand noticing how soft the skin was against her course fingers. She closed her eyes resting the back of the lady's hand against her cheek rubbing it softly taking in a deep breath.

'_I wish…'_

'_What I want…'_

Luna's eyebrow's furrowed at the soft voice whispering very far away. She saw… nothing. But she heard things. She heard many things…

The soulless one…

The voice in the night…

She covered her ears when she heard the faraway sound of a thousand people screaming in fear. It all disappeared into nothing.

Then one voice cut in, soft and demanding.

'_Hold still Rin…'_

Violet eyes snapped open and she stood up letting go the lady's hand. "She didn't mean to do it."

Sesshoumaru had watched the young woman for a moment. She had covered her ears when he heard nothing. Sesshoumaru arched a brow at her statement towards him. She took a step close, her eyes staring right into his. He normally spared no one a glance but… there was something inhuman about her eyes.

"I'm sorry but there is no other way."

Sesshoumaru looked down at her petite form as she stood close to him, eyes filling with unshed tears. "Explain."

She did not. Instead she rubbed her eyes with her sleeves. Sesshoumaru asked again for her to explain herself but he received the same response, "I'm sorry but there is no other way." Deciding off the subject matter he raised a hand towards her, palm out uncurling his fingers around the jewel of four souls.

He watched her reaction to the jewel and how she merely leaned down to be eye level to the jewel staring at it oddly with a now unusual intense scrutiny that had been absent just prior. After a moment she stood up and looked at him with a puzzled expression. Did the girl have no idea what he was holding? She reached up and pushed his hand from her not interested in the Shikkon no tama.

"There. Is. No. Other. Way." She said slowly and pointedly a bit frustrated he was not really listening to her. They did this a lot, no one listened. One day he would remember her words. She pointed to the jewel he showed her, "It cannot help, you cannot help and I cannot help."

Sesshoumaru put his hand down and stared at the odd child as she picked up Rin's slippers and walked out of the room. He wondered about her words and the urgency behind them but decided to set them aside as the rant of a 'touched' human. Somehow the sight of this creature did not sit still with him and he did not know why. Maybe her face bothered him, those eyes… or the face with those eyes.

. . . .

Shippou watched Luna walk out of the grand hall wondering why she was in a rush and whose shoes was she carrying. He let out a sigh, the girl was a strange enigma, that was for certain. "I do not have answers for you." He turned folding his arms in his sleeves.

"She does not have the power over the Shikkon no tama, nor does she know of it." Sesshoumaru spoke pointedly.

"There are those who suffered terrible fate even having knowledge of the Shikkon no Tama's existence. Many have suffered because of their want of it, their desires for it even if they're intentions for the Shikkon was not evil."

"And those whom protected it."

Shippou walked towards the Lord of the West and stood before him. He remembered when he was a child how he used to be terrified of Sesshoumaru. Even after there had been a mediocre truce between brothers he was nothing more than a scared fox in the presence of a greater demon. Was that so terribly long ago? "Don't you think that I, more than anyone else would like to see closure. I sense from the moment I saw him human to this day that Inuyasha does not fully understand what happened. So many things do not fit Kagome's permanent disappearance, the tama's empty shell remains after a wish was made and Luna. Her power as a priestess are more destructive than pure, from that assumption I know she is not Kagome's incarnation."

He watched Sesshoumaru raise an eyebrow. "Reincarnation." Shippou berated himself the slip of his tongue. It would be difficult to consider Luna Kagome's reincarnation considering that technically she wasn't born yet.

No, Luna had to be of Kikyou lineage if not the girl herself… even if it was the malicious spirit that drove the clay body it was still a partial soul with the ability to animate a body albeit one baked of clay. Therein lay the odd paradox of it all, Kikyou still wandered the earth after Luna was born. But before Inuyasha laid her to rest Kikyou's soul seemed to have faded long before. Even though she had been dead Kikyou had the ability to choose right from wrong, that… was gone replaced by an echo of evil driving her body.

When exactly did Kikyou 'die'?

Something nagged at him, fifteen years seemed to be the answer.

"We have yet to see the conclusion of this." Sesshoumaru remarked offhandedly to the Shikkon no tama he was still holding onto. The lord of the north stared at him with puzzled emerald eyes. "It is still here, I doubt the hanyou truly wished humanity."

Shippou folded his arms into his sleeves, "You speak of it like it's… alive." He thought for a moment and nodded his head. It had been a long time but he couldn't forget it was created of two living souls still fighting, "Why?"

"A third chance." Sesshoumaru whispered.

. . . .

Her violet eyes slowly opened after hearing what she needed to hear she stood and turned from the window slipping away into the cold night.

* * *

Inuyasha let out an aggravated sigh as his right eye twitched in annoyance, "I may be human, but I ain't stupid ya'know!"

From behind him through the thicket of forest he heard the rustle of leaves. For some reason he knew the idiot was there staring a hole into the back of his head as though he could will one there by sight alone. So Inuyasha didn't turn around to greet the usual figure of Sesshoumaru who was now standing directly to his right. He reached out placing his hand on the hilt of the long double bladed sword he now carried with him.

Sesshoumaru merely stared at the sword he was holding onto before looking up to the humans face raising an eyebrow.

"You think this is your welcome do you?" Inuyasha rolled his eyes as he stuck the sword in the ground so he could use it as a crutch to stand. "Think again bastard." The leather on the armor he now wore strained at his movement.

Sesshoumaru eyed the choice of his attire and Inuyasha just shrugged a shoulder, "Shippou's idea." That was all the explanation he was going to give.

Inuyasha through the years had bulked out especially with the life he had been living. Sick of getting sick all the damn time Inuyasha finally unearthed the fire rat kimono once again. In a battle not too long prior he had almost been impaled and after that Shippou insisted almost viciously until Inuyasha gave up and began to wear all sorts of armor covering his chest, arms and gloves for his hands. It wasn't half bad once you got used to all of it. It wasn't stupid looking like his brother's but just like Shippou's plus as per Shippou's insistence since he was in the northern lords courts and fought with the lord he was required to wear the colors of the great house on the sashes at his waist which served to carry his swords. Luna had begun putting his hair in a topknot to keep it out of his face, its ends dragging the ground behind him as his bangs lay long to one side covering the deformity of his void eye.

"I heard the taiyoukai of Inrai forest has a human general."

"Yea well both you and I think he's a fool for it." Inuyasha muttered. Although he did have to admit being able to command a small army of fox and neko wasn't all too bad. The smaller demons that usually were vulnerable to larger or more powerful demons had banded together and gave Shippou their allegiance for his protection. It was kind of cute since most of them did not have a form larger than regular forest creatures but Inuyasha found them to be quite vicious when defending their land. With the flick of his wrist he hoisted the insanely thick sword over his left shoulder turning towards Sesshoumaru.

Sesshoumaru eyed the sword that surprisingly enough looked like a human version of toukijin.

"Trust me you weren't in my thoughts when I fought for this sword." Inuyasha looked at Sesshoumaru who was eyeing the sword cautiously. "I just liked it."

"You fought for a sword." Sesshoumaru asked with a hint of amusement in his tone.

If Inuyasha didn't know any better Sesshoumaru was actually a bit surprised. "Well, it was better than mine." Inuyasha thought back to the fight with that warlord with a smirk. "Asshole got what he was coming then I took his sword before I cut his head off with it."

"Interesting." Sesshoumaru's eyes caught the stone tablet that lay directly behind him and just stared at it.

After a moment of silence Inuyasha shifted on his feet looking at Sesshoumaru. Usually he stayed in the shadow for awhile before leaving, sometimes he would make his presence known. Most of the time Inuyasha just ignored him and today they were being somewhat civil to each other. "I'm sorry." Sesshoumaru turned to look at him and he just didn't know what else to say. "For chasing her away… the world would be a better place if she was here. This stone tablet should have my name on it not hers."

"Have you learned your lesson then hanyou? They are mortal and you cannot protect them from the one fate that is death."

"You're not one to talk Sesshoumaru."

"This Sesshoumaru would not fight death for the cost of one mortal girl, nor would he stand vigil at her grave day in and day out for her memory. They are mortal, their existence comes and goes like the flicker of a light and although you may protect them from the world you cannot protect them from the end."

"You're telling me to move on, aren't you?" Inuyasha looked over his shoulder to Sesshoumaru who merely stood there staring at him. "Why?"

"You deny yourself closure and thus deny yourself life." Sesshoumaru tossed a small bouquet to the human who caught it in his hands.

Inuyasha stood dumbfounded looking down at the bouquet of wildflowers tied with a bright yellow ribbon. "I'm not your type. Sorry there Sesshoumaru."

Sesshoumaru closed his eyes and let out a breath that one would call a sigh, "Not for you baka. Rin sends it."

"She's not my type either." Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes and Inuyasha grinned feeling particularly proud he had not lost his effect in giving Sesshoumaru a hard time. It was something he excelled in when he was a brat and was pleased to find it had the same effects even as a human. After all, what were little brothers for?

Inuyasha turned bending down on one knee gently laying the flowers before the stone memento. He thought for a moment at his brother's words, "Why do you keep calling me hanyou Sesshoumaru, your nose doesn't work or something?"

"Did you wish to be mortal?"

"No."

"It cannot take that which you did not give."

"Well shit that makes no sense." Inuyasha hissed in pain grabbing his left knee as he stood up. "Gods that felt mortal." After a moment he waved it off as though it was nothing before changing the subject, "You probably didn't know, but Kagome really liked that kid."

Sesshoumaru intently watched the younger sibling in obvious pain with an old injury he had taken notice of the first time he saw this human.

Inuyasha took a good look at his elder brother who had his eyes fixed deadpan on his. Time had no meaning to a taiyoukai. Inuyasha was into his thirties as Sesshoumaru stayed the same from here to forever if the moron didn't piss of someone and get himself killed.

Sesshoumaru could live from here to eternity, and five hundred years.

"You know, you may just live long enough." When Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow at his odd comment he went on, "I want to tell you something. I really don't know what happened to Kagome, only time will tell and I won't live long enough to find out but you might." He pointed to the gravestone, "This name shouldn't be forgotten, you'll see it again many years down the road."

The eyebrow that was raised now went further hiding under the fringe of his snowy white bangs, "I believe senility has become you little brother."

"Probably." Inuyasha folded his arms snorting a bit before walking a bit passed his brother stopping so they were shoulder to shoulder facing opposite direction standing next to each other. "Technically I'm older than you baka." He rubbed his unshaven face for emphasis, "You think I should grow a beard?"

Inuyasha clicked his tongue as he walked down the pathway, "Hmm… me with a beard… big bushy one."

"To complete your unwashed look I take it."

"Careful or I may start telling people we're related." Inuyasha threw over his shoulder only to find the demon lord gone. Inuyasha shrugged a shoulder as he headed back to his horse taking his time heading back to the densely fogged mountain. He stopped close to one of the small villages at the base of the mountain his sake stash was a bit short these days.

"Ah General-sama." The aged woman behind the counter bowed respectfully when he entered the tiny cramped sake bar. "I have finally received that shipment." She held up a small clay bottle in hand and he tossed a few coins at her taking the bottle to his black horse. A few villagers bowed and scraped at his feet touching his sash, "Get the hell away from me." Grumbling along the path he stopped his horse when he spotted children beside the path that went up the ridge.

He looked down and stared as she played with the children in the tall grass. It was one of the few joys in her life, to come down and play with the children. She was a priestess to this village although the villagers were a bit scared by her odd mannerisms the children simply adored her. He watched for a moment almost smiling when he realized he had seen this before… in Kikyou. He frowned and kept on going.

From below Luna stopped running with the children and looked up to the ridge but saw nothing.

Inuyasha had stayed out in the woods a long while taking solace in half a flask of sake. When he finally returned home he tied his horse and looked for Shippou. He found him in one of the great rooms looking over an old unrolled map wearing loose formal silken robes with his long hair tied upwards. "Expecting someone?"

"You should tell me when you're not to be expected all day." Shippou looked over his shoulder, "And you reek of sake, dog breath."

Inuyasha looked down at the map where a few little ivory figurines rested on, "You're not dumb enough to attack the western domain Shippou."

Shippou snorted, "No I do not intend to attack. Instead I got a visit from your brother, Jakken and an impressively powerful phoenix."

Inuyasha raised both eyebrows, "She's still hanging around Sesshoumaru?"

"What do you know of her?"

Inuyasha just shrugged, "Just a courtesan I think."

"Phoenix's were run out of Japan back to the mainland by the dragons. I've never seen one before until today."

Inuyasha shrugged, "So he came to show off his court eh?"

"Sesshoumaru has an impressive amount of land and those under him. His lands are beyond the borders of your father."

"Well good for him and he did it with one hand behind his back… or just one hand."

Shippou rolled his eyes, "Well I had my Buddhist monk, my Shinto priestess, my demon slayers but where the hell was my general?" Shippou frowned at him and slipped a large scroll from his sleeve.

Inuyasha took it and began to read, he looked up at Shippou after he was done. "No fucking way."

"When one of the most powerful tai of the lands comes to me… on this little mountain to exchange alliances I can do nothing but accept." Shippou tiredly leaned against the table. "I would prefer my ambassador to be you."

Inuyasha put up both hands, "Kohaku's your vassal."

"You forget the problem that Sesshoumaru doesn't trust Kohaku. Your brother wouldn't give a damn about me, you're going."

Inuyasha balled his hands into fists, "No."

"That wasn't a request."

Inuyasha set the scroll down, "I'm going to bed _**milord**_." In an instant he was rammed against the wall with a clawed hand at his throat, "Shippou what the fuck?"

"Don't get snide with me human or the consequences will be severe."

"Shippou what the fuck is your problem?" Inuyasha yelled at him.

Shippou released him and took a step back, "I'm sorry, I can't afford to joke anymore. There is talk of war."

"So we kick their ass!"

"This is not the same type of war my friend." Shippou shook his head, "Remember those ruthless monks that killed demons? Miroku heard a few things though he is not trusted among them because he's _'allied with demons.'_ Sesshoumaru confirmed they've amassed an army the warlords are banding together to fund this."

"You're joking."

"Luna calls it… _genocide_. I don't like that word and I don't even know what it means. Inuyasha when you were in the future did you ever sense another demonic presence?"

Inuyasha thought for a moment, "No, nothing."

Shippou nodded, "That's all I needed to hear, you may go to sleep Inuyasha… I have a great deal of thinking to do."

Inuyasha watched Shippou walk to his bench and sit down with a few scrolls. Where did the small pup that harassed him and rode on his shoulder go? His head hurt but he didn't walk to his hut. _'Genocide'_ what the hell did that mean? He walked up the winding staircase and stopped at the crudely made shrine at the top of the mountain. Beside it was a tiny hut partially in a rock face. After they came to this place Luna secluded herself here. The humans resented her, began to fear her when she started to say things that came true and became more 'touched' than before. Sometimes she would erupt in violent outbursts, her purification flaring out destructively. He suspected the villagers at the exterminator village would… do things to her to make her that upset. This move here was good for her if not for anyone else.

Inuyasha pushed aside the bamboo curtain, "Luna what the hell did you tell Shippou earlier?"

Instead of Luna Sango was kneeling on the tatami mat as though patiently waiting for him. He stiffened when she didn't turn around to look at him instead reaching down to pick up her tea.

"She's not here."

"Hut's small enough for me to see that."

She reached up brushing back a long strand of brown hair that held a white strand within it. "She's sixteen years old Inuyasha."

"I can count that high."

Her hazel colored eyes glared at him, "She's not Kikyou."

Inuyasha closed his eyes ready to combat yet another fight with Sango about the virtue of her daughter, "Can I sit down at least for this?"

"She's not Kagome either, and I have trouble with that too. And I have to keep her safe." Sango stood up brushing her apron.

"Keep her safe? She's up in a mountain for shit sake Sango living with the almighty fox god how safe can she get?"

"I have to think about her future I think its best if she return to Kaede's village to assist Kaede."

"Kaede?"

"Yes. She's to return to Musashi's domain to assist Kaede."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, "Are you protecting her from someone specific by chance Sango or do you just want to send her away from yourself?"

"I…" Sango closed her mouth and looked down at the floor for a second, "Don't tell me how to raise my daughter."

"Raise?" Inuyasha shook his head, "Sango lets make this clear, yelling at her, leaving her alone all the time, letting her get beat up by the kids all the time, calling her dim witted to her face and pushing her away from you and keeping her away from her younger brother doesn't mean you can look back and say 'I've raised her' later down the road."

"Luna's different, and special… she's very hard to get along with."

"Why the hell do you keep talking like she's half a person?"

"Because she is half a person!"

Inuyasha raised a hand palm out to Sango and quietly said 'shit.' Sango's eyes widened a bit before she took a step away from him and rubbed the back of her neck with her hand. He turned and reached out pulling back the flap of the bamboo curtain to see a young woman standing in the rain on a rock just a few feet from him. She was looking out to the woodlands, serene in face as though she had not heard a word.

She was wearing the red and white garbs of a priestess, but as usual she wore no shoes. "Luna?" He whispered. Her intense violet eyes turned towards him as thick black hair stuck to her pale face. "Hey runt, get inside before you soak through."

"It's too late for that."

"You're going to get a cold Luna."

"It's too late for that." She gave him a smile before taking a step forward off the rock. She turned and began to walk away.

Inuyasha rushed out and grabbed her wrist, "Go inside Luna."

"It is too late for that too."

He let go of her hand watching as she walked away from him. His hands balled into fists, the leather of his gloves stretching to accommodate the pressure he was exerting. He turned and glared at Sango who stood at the frame of the door watching her daughter walk away. "Why the hell do you act like that with her?"

Sango was quiet for a moment before whispering, "This is for the best."

"For her or for you?" Inuyasha shook his head walking away from the taijiya.

He looked all around for her but the girl seemed to have a way of making herself scarce. Finally giving up Inuyasha took post at the tall tower overlooking the forest. It did him no good to be up here, no one ever came into the fog covered forest anyhow if they did it was to build another toji pole for the stories they made up about the all powerful 'fox god.' Well there was a time some idiot warlord thought to come up here and flush out the demon. Inuyasha just stayed up here and watched as Shippou stood beside him and took out a few leaves blowing lightly on them creating the illusion of giant demons from hell. That did it, they went screaming like little girls.

He let out a sigh looking back to the low lit estate that seemed eerie in the dense fog. He rather liked it up here in the secluded forest instead of the exterminator's village. There were too many people he did not know, he did not trust, here he knew everyone. Inuyasha turned back out into the night searching with his good eye when he heard a small noise below.

He finally figured it was nothing before looking down to see he had once again taken hold of tetsusaiga rather than the sword he could actually use. He let go of its tattered handle dropping his hand to his side smirking at the instinctive act of going for that sword. Still he carried tetsusaiga, desperate to cling to the belief that he may still hold a drop of black blood running in his veins. "Didn't take what I didn't give huh?" He shook his head realizing he was thinking about something that Sesshoumaru said. It was wishful thinking but not true.

Either way it was too cold to think straight right now. He would deal with Sesshoumaru later. Inuyasha folded his arms curling the long black robe over his armor plates covering his form. The night was crisp and cold, summer giving way to autumn and the leaves falling off the trees as a small lantern gave off a soft glow giving light to the otherwise dark corners of the small covered landing.

He closed his eyes for a moment resting his elbows on the wood leaning forward as the cold air kissed his face gently. He saw the leaf that fell from the tree as it circled around. When it passed behind him out of sight he whipped around skewering the leaf with the tip of his blade narrowing his eyes at the intruder from the edge of his blade that rested on a slender throat.

Inuyasha let out a soft sigh, "Luna."

Violet eyes almost glowed in the night as she reached out and with a gentle finger pushed aside the blade. He silently sheathed the sword at his waist as he leaned back against the railing and folded his arms staring at the woman before him. She was a lovely creature with almond shaped eyes and thick raven hair that ran down her back in waves about her pale face. He had learned his lesson and refused to compare one woman to another but it was so hard especially when she carried features of both women he had once cared a great deal for.

Perhaps if she wasn't born of Sango and Miroku she could have been a geisha with the out wordly way she acted. Perhaps if she was born far away from him she could have had a chance for a normal life like Kagome and Kikyou always wanted. Still, this was the best place for her.

"I had a nightmare again."

Inuyasha reached out and brushed a strand of hair from her cheek putting it behind her ear. "You're always trying to keep me clean but you look like you've been rolling in the grass." He took a twig out of her hair and tossed it over her shoulder.

"I had a nightmare again."

Inuyasha sighed and leaned back. She wanted to tell him something, she would say that over and over again until he inquired, "What was your nightmare Luna?"

"I forgot."

"Well then don't worry about it."

She shook her head hard, "No… I forgot." Luna wrapped her arms around herself for warmth. She could only stare the way he looked at her. Inuyasha always looked at her like… this. She couldn't explain the way he stared. It made her nervous and sad at the same time.

The mirror gave her the answer.

'_I will always love you… I will always hate… you…' _that is what she told him as he killed her.

Luna covered her eyes as the image that had burned into her memory since she was a child replayed in her mind. He frightened her and made her feel safe at the same time. He said he would protect her forever… but would he protect her from himself? She had witnessed Inuyasha kill Kikyou, a woman who shared her face and possibly her soul. Luna had also overheard that he had done it to another, someone else whom she possibly shared a face and a soul with.

"I forgot." She whispered again. Sometimes she wished for it, that she could forget everything especially that moment seeing someone who looks like her die by the sword by his hand. Would this be her future? Would she too die or disappear as her former incarnates?

Inuyasha watched as she covered her eyes then stared down at the ground remaining silent for a good minute. He reached out and touched her shoulder, "You ok kid?" She shot up and stared at him with huge violet eyes. She leapt back a bit and he held out a hand, "Luna hey, it's me…" When she put her hand to her chest as though frightened beyond frightened he began to wonder what was going on in that mind of hers. This was not becoming an uncommon thing for her.

"I will forget."

"You'd forget me?" Inuyasha teased her and he was awarded a smile.

She grinned, "Maybe it's a good dream and not a nightmare."

He shook his head turning back out to the forest. She leaned on the railing beside him looking out to the forest. Inuyasha looked down at her wondering what it is she saw and heard and why it was that only she could see and hear these things. It almost seemed unfair from birth for her. He looked down at the young miko dressed in a simple black robe with black cloak. "Where are your shoes?"

"I had to burn them all."

Inuyasha shook his head. Out of everyone he has ever protected Luna was in most need of it. She was a beautiful young maiden despite her oddity. There was a uniqueness to her that was incomparable to any other he had encountered. Luna was naïve to a fault but even with that she was a better swindler than her father. The girl was a revered truthseeker and minder to many warlords and even some taiyoukai. She was just never wrong… that's how Inuyasha could believe the shit she spouted… she was NEVER wrong.

And even beyond her amusing oddness, she was his friend, she never gave him that look of pity that everyone seemed to give him these days or that look of contempt for being a rogue samurai. Somehow he found it hard not to smile at the weird shit she did, "You burned all your shoes?"

"It had to be done." She said with complete seriousness.

"Of course." He looked down at her tiny form. She forever remained petite in stature although her body was matured in ways that made demonesses green with envy. The years upon years he knew her the girl had blossomed under his very eyes as she followed dutifully behind him.

But something was wrong Inuyasha could feel it in the air between them now as she looked up at him with those deep violet eyes. Since when did she stop looking at him with those large adoring eyes and start looking at him like a woman? Sango was right, she was growing up… and here he was still living the past. It was hard not to being reminded of it on a daily basis. "I talked to Shippou today he's going to send me to the west. Any suggestions?"

"Don't fight with your brother."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, "You too?"

"Don't take sake."

"Ok I get it."

"And you better wash in the spring before heading over you're starting to smell again."

"I said I got it!" Inuyasha looked down at Luna, "I'm not the only one heading out for a bit, am I Luna." He watched her turn to the forest and nod once, "I saw your mom today." He watched her stiffen visibly. The girl did everything in her power to ignore her mother to the point he was convinced she didn't even 'see' Sango anymore or hear her when Sango spoke. They would be in the same room and Sango would be a void to her eyes. When he outright asked Luna about her mother the girl would just clam up and lash out with hostility. "Luna, I talked to Sango."

"One does not casually 'speak' with the taijiya."

"Shit Luna I don't have time for this. Why?"

She turned towards him, "I have to."

He bowed his head leaning heavily against the railing, "That what they told you huh?" He felt her hands on his shoulders gripping them tightly as she massaged his muscles under his armor. _'God that feels good.'_

"Inuyasha?" She asked timidly after his muscles were less tense. "I look like them, don't I?" Immediately he tensed up again and she sighed letting go of his shoulders. When he said nothing she reached for his long hair and tugged it, "I need to know."

"You listened in on some conversations, didn't you?"

Luna nodded her head, "They don't see Luna but Kikyou you don't see Luna but Kikyou or Kagome. Do I look like them?"

He let out a sigh, "Yea, a bit."

"Am I one or the other?"

"I don't know Luna." Inuyasha whispered. Was it possible that the anger and hate in Kikyou's soul reincarnated or that even despite the time gap Kagome reincarnated? He thought for a moment before looking over his shoulder to the violet eyes of Luna. "I just don't know."

"Would it matter to Inuyasha?"

He snorted out loud and turned away from her looking up into the night sky, "No, you're still the same runt."

She gave him a soft smile, "I'm going to take that as a compliment." One had to look beyond the harsh words with Inuyasha to realize what he really feels.

"Yea right, you're still a runt."

"You're a softie Inuyasha admit it." She poked him in the side.

"I'm soft for runts like you that burn their shoes."

"I told you it had to be done. They were cursed."

"Sure Luna."

She rolled her eyes and remained silent for a moment as they looked out in the dark wood, "If I became evil would you have to kill me?"

Inuyasha closed his eyes. "I gave you some bad memories didn't I? I fucked up Luna you shouldn't have had to see that no one should have."

"Inuyasha I must know…"

He shook his head as he opened his eyes looking back over his shoulder, "You wouldn't follow that route."

She stared at him a bit before seriously thinking about what he had just told her. Perhaps he was right, she wouldn't follow that route and shed never have to worry.

"Its all adult stuff anyways kid."

Luna wanted to pick up a rock and bash his head with it whenever he talked to her like that. Yea most women her age were married and some had children already. She frowned shoving him forward a bit, "I am an adult dog breath. Miroku let me have sake years ago."

"You shouldn't be drinking sake kid."

"Why, will I stop grooming myself and start swearing and scratching myself in public?"

He reached out about to ruff her hair a bit before she ducked away to the side. "I'm going to let that one slide Luna!" She turned around and put her finger on her nose pressing it upwards as she scrunched her eyebrows. He shook his head folding his arms, what could he say he was really going to miss her.

. . . .

She stopped walking and turned her head to the side looking out towards the darkened wood. Luna looked over her shoulder and made sure she was alone before walking towards the darkness. Luna halted at the hot spring before taking a step forward and looking down into the water.

Her reflection looked back at her and after a moment it sneered at her narrowing its brown eyes before turning away.

A plume of smoke rose from the hotspring and she stared at the woman that was walking away from her. Her ebony hair fell down her back like straight midnight. She stopped at a rock and turned sharply pinning her with a sharp stare.

"You're deluding yourself if you think he cares anything about you."

Luna looked down at her hands, "He cares about the both of us."

"Little fool." She glared before turning away, "He cares about me, and since you carry my soul he has vowed to protect that, since you look like me he has to love that. Don't you get it he loves me even if it's just a memory of me."

"But I also look like Kagome, and may carry her soul and look like her."

"Shut up!" Kikyou yelled at her with her fists balled tightly, "Look around you is she here!"

Luna looked around the clearing Kagome was in fact not here.

"She was so hopeful to win him over as well, but even he would choose her over you any day." She saw the young priestess close her eyes. Her eyes narrowed seeing the child clench her fists tightly, "You love him don't you?"

Luna's eyes widened, "Huh?"

Kikyou glared at the girl. "That was stupid, but considering who you are I'm not surprised."

"I don't love Inuyasha." Luna stared at Kikyou who gave her a harsh look and after a moment she finally glared, "And if I do why NOT!" The elder priestess seemed taken back with her proclamation. "He may not have been human but he's the only one who has treated me human! I may not be you or Kagome but I didn't grow up asking for his love either!"

Kikyou slipped off the rock she was sitting on and walked in front of the young defiant girl. There will be a day where this girl would take her face, her soul and eventually her mind. Luna was not strong enough to silence the past incarnation as Kikyou had been silence by death when her soul was intertwined with Kagome's larger one five hundred years into the future.

The body of clay could not contain the anger and the hate that was left of Kikyou and the soul slowly began to die away because it was merely a 'ghost' of its former self reclaimed by Kagome. Its lust for power, its lust for revenge and hatred of Inuyasha desired a body… and found this one. Kikyou was sure that the first daughter of Sango and Miroku should have been stillborn. Instead the live shell of a body was slowly gaining its own consciousness and one day… Kikyou would be silenced forever.

This… abomination would one day become her. She had all her power, her mind and her knowledge and was a mere child in mind.

Kikyou seethed in hatred that once again the fates had woven her life with Inuaysha. She hated Luna for this, she hated Inuyasha for this. She reached out and backhanded the girl yet her ghostly hand went through her form.

Luna didn't close her eyes when the elder priestess tried to slap her. She felt the frost of a few scrapes on the side of her face but she didn't reach up to touch it. It was getting weaker, the pain Kikyou's blows would cause. What did this mean?

Kikyou watched as Luna did nothing to the growing welts on the side of her face. She gripped her hand but her own fingers went through her wrist. Kikyou stared at her ghostly hand. She was slowly winning, this child. There was something so remarkably unique to her, something Kikyou didn't have when she was her age. _Choice._

It was odd to see the child Amaterasu Tsukiyomi 'Luna' House Taijiya willingly walk the life of a priestess. She was a weak child that could not control the power of even a piece of her soul. Luna was her living clay body they were two sides of the same coin. Still it was disturbing seeing her life relived over again walking the same path as before. Kikyou wanted to live again! Why couldn't the gods let her live! Why give all her power and knowledge and piece of soul to yet another weakling?

Time cannot erase that which is and that will always be, "Remember this he'll never love you as you may love him. His heart will always be mine… and one day… he will destroy you."

Kikyou's form began to disappear like dust in the wind before Luna was left to the solitude of the night. "I know that already Kikyou." She whispered in the night as she began to wander the estate until there was a shift in darkness to light.

Eventually she found herself at the door of a dismal hut almost as dreary as her own. Its ceiling was almost caved in on itself as various vines took over the walls. Reaching out she brushed aside the torn red fabric and peered inside. The dying embers of the fire barely lit the poorly kept walls of the hut. Inuyasha rested on the torn futon, eyes closed, raven hair a mess about his form and a pair of swords at the side of the futon. She smiled, "Baka."

* * *

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Kohaku packed a single satchel of her items on the horse before looking at his niece. She stood looking off to the mountain estate of their Lord Kumiko with a serene face on her countenance. A black cape covered her petite form as her long ink hair trailed down her back. She was beautiful in face, lovely in features if you could see beyond her troubled mind. But today she seemed at peace, her mind still.

"I am certain uncle."

"Listen, Luna you should at least talk to her."

"Her, sir?"

"Your mom." Kohaku stared at her knowing she would get upset whenever anyone asked her about Sango, but she just stared at him cocking her head to the side as though she had no idea what he was talking about. "Sango." He said his sisters name and watched as she merely stared waiting for him to elaborate.

"I will miss this." She turned her head looking out into the woods, "It was so peaceful here."

"Kaede will be happy to see you." Kohaku helped her mount her horse before they rode down on the toji lined trail. She had just appeared out of nowhere scaring the shit out of him when he woke up. Luna had a way of just… appearing. So before her family or the lord or lady awoke he would do this favor for his niece and take her as far as the edge of Kumiko's domains where she would hire an escort to take her the rest of the route.

"I will do my best." Luna said confidently smiling.

Kohaku stared at her shuddering a bit and it was not for the cold air, she looked like Kikyou more so than before. Perhaps it was a trick of the morning before the sunlight, but either way somehow he found it best that she did leave… for Inuyasha's sake.


	7. Seven

She was in one word… beautiful

Her skin was soft to the touch her breasts voluptuous and pliable in his rough hands as her curvy body just nestled perfectly against his. Her gentle fingers traced an old wound and he hissed in pleasure falling back onto the hard pallet of his futon. Her body rose up and fell with his movement as she panted quietly against the sound of distant thunder and light rain as he filled every inch of her with himself. The feel of her skin was so real, the touch of her hands, the smell, the softness of her hair, the taste of her lips… it was too real.

She cried out his name, a songlike aria into the night as they joined as one. His hands traced her jaw then her lips before brushing aside her long ebony hair. Her eyes slowly opened as she lovingly looked down upon him, his mouth opened to a silent gasp looking into intense violet eyes that almost glowed in the night. He reached up and brushed her cheek with his hand as she leaned into his caress staring at him with those lovely eyes.

Kikyou's were the color of earth after the rain, Kagome's eyes were the color of the ocean and skies, Luna had her father's eyes yet they were so intense he swore she was demonic… yet she was the weakest of them all.

"This is wrong." He muttered.

She shook her head a few times. He opened his mouth to say something but she pressed her finger onto his lips as she whispered something soft, almost inaudible to him. He had never coupled like this before, his experiences in the past had been… rough to say the least laced with insecurity and desperation. But for now he was breathless and tired. Wrapping his arm around her form he held her close to himself whispering words goodnight to a dream he'd never dare to share with anyone but himself.

* * *

To Wash it All Away

Seven.

* * *

The light rain beating on his roof jarred him from slumber.

He woke up tired, his body spent.

Lazily he raised an arm reaching out for something beside him and blinked open his eyes realizing nothing was there. "Just a dream, go to bed dumbass." He muttered to himself as he yawned loudly scratching his head tossing his raven hair.

He felt old, and tired. He didn't even know how old he was he was seventy something or other counting the years he spent in slumber when he became mortal so years just meant nothing to him when he was hanyou.

Inuyasha reached up and rubbed his eyes with his hands before he rolled onto his side and closed his eyes. He sniffed lightly at the smell of fresh cut grass before his eyes slowly opened. He lightly reached over and pressed his hand against the indent on his futon and the light warmth that came about from the absence of someone that had been there and the few drops of blood that was present.

His mind screamed, _' !'_

What the hell… how the hell… when the hell? He sat up kicking the covers off himself dressing in black haori and hakamas pulling a cloak over his shoulder walking out in the rain around the estate running up the steps leading to her meager hut.

"Luna you'd better have a damn good explanation…." Inuyasha barged into the hut not bothering to knock when he stilled. Luna kept relatively few things, small odd trinkets that had no value, empty bottles of sake she would confiscate from him and line up on the wall to piss him off, left shoes for some reason, and a stack of scrolls.

Yet they were all gone.

The only thing left was a small bowl with rice and incense burning.

"She's gone Inuyasha."

Inuyasha looked over his shoulder to Miroku who was standing behind him at the door of the hut. "I can tell."

Miroku walked inside the small house of his daughter looking around the place that was ridiculously small and unkept to be considered inhabitable. "Ariake didn't want for much did she?" She wanted little in life, she stopped seeing Sango altogether and stopped seeing him as father but more of spiritual mentor. The girl kept him on his toes just so he could be a worthy teacher. He didn't argue with her, only abided by her wishes to make her happy.

"She would have been happy under the stairs."

"I did try Inuyasha, but she did not want to move into the house."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes and folded his arms. Yea Miroku was an IDEAL parent. Letting the girl have sake, taking her to very eligible warlords, the practice of swindling had to be passed on from father to heir.

"I know what you must think Inuyasha but she wanted to go."

"You mean Sango wanted her to go."

"No, Sango cannot speak to Luna. I'm sure the girl doesn't even see her or hear her anymore and why would I want to get rid of Luna when she and I had a business." Miroku saw Inuyasha's eyes blink realizing that he was right. "This choice was hers to make, she proposed it and she followed through. My daughter is old enough to make her choices in life now and she chose to not be around her family anymore." Miroku sat down on a small stool, "I'm sure one day she will be a revered priestess."

"Yea won't you be proud."

Miroku looked up, "You must thing us bad parents, I won't disagree. But she wasn't an ideal child either. Sango cannot understand Luna so she doesn't have affection of her as a regular mother would."

"My mother didn't understand me but she loved me plenty."

"But your mother didn't purposefully keep you from danger Inuyasha. And Sango is no hime she comes from a line of taijiya that demand their children to be strong and even you that used to be a demon could see the logic in that. You must be strong to survive."

"But Luna ain't, and I saw that."

Miroku looked down to the ground, "There are some things that I regret greatly. Her violent outbursts, the destruction of her power… the way she acts and reacts… all I can do is just give her the space she wanted."

"The girl isn't stupid no matter what you and Sango think."

Miroku glared at Inuyasha, "Maybe we rushed having children, maybe we should have settled into a normal life instead of one that had us running about… I'm ashamed of myself."

"So… coercing her to leave fixes the mistake? Or I bet you didn't even argue with her, it wasn't going to make her happy or safe and we both know that." He shook his head, "Send her away so you can't see your fuck up."

Miroku gave him a smile, "I screwed up what else can I say."

"How about 'I'm sorry' to her."

"I know it seems so easy a fix. But I'm a coward and I have to stop being one. When I'm ready I'll go to Kaede's village and bring her back."

Inuyasha shook his head, "So she wanted to leave, idiot."

"She isn't stupid Inuyasha, wasn't that what you just told me?"

"Yea but everyone makes stupid decisions."

"Coming from you my friend I will take what you said to heart."

"Yea whatever what are you doing here anyway Monk don't you have some village to raid of ominous clouds?"

Miroku stood up and ran his fingers through his hair, "That would mean going home first." He saw Inuyasha's inquiring look, "Boy found out his sister is gone and has been a screaming nightmare… and he's not the only one."

"I take it Shippou found a corner of his lands and stayed there." When Miroku nodded Inuyasha shook his head. "Figures."

"He's not the only one sulking for her loss."

Inuyasha rolled his eyes, "She's just a runt I looked after."

"You took her safety rather to heart."

"Well no one else did."

"Inuyasha whatever happened between you and Kagome I know you've atoned for it years and years ago. But don't deny yourself happiness when she wouldn't have let you done so and don't deny Luna's happiness either." Miroku then gave him a violet stare that would stop a demon in their tracks, "Because if you do may Buddha have mercy on your soul."

Inuyasha's eyes widened, "Miroku you've got to be joking… I'm about seventy human years old and Sango would destroy me where I stood if I even *thought* that road."

Miroku threw his head back and started laughing out loud, "I was just joking you should have seen your face." He patted Inuyasha on the back rather hard as they walked into the rain.

"Miroku don't you dare joke like that!"

* * *

"On this day in the spring 2200, a great evil by the name of Naraku was defeated by the uniting of humans and demons. And by this may we one day live in harmony." Her fingers lightly brushed off the dust as she touched the names etched in stone. The smile faded from her lips as her fingers stroked the name of Inuyasha. Violet eyes stood transfixed for a moment before looking away.

She picked up the forgotten basket of flora she set down for a moment while she reminisced and headed towards the village. Her mind was not on the flowers she carried and the lesson Kaede was teaching her to distinguish different foliage for different remedies… her mind was fixed on that name…. on him… on Inuyasha.

'_Foolish child.'_

Her lips turned down into a frown at the harsh whisper in her mind. "At least I'm still alive." She muttered to no one. This time the lineage and soul of Kikyou took a different direction than her two previous incarnations.

It was _**she**_ who left _**him**_.

Luna wanted to smile but not even that thought comforted her that she did what two other women who technically she was could not do. The fates really did have it out for one ex half demon. She wanted to feel bad for him but he really was paying the price for two massive failures.

Luna shook her head reasoning with herself, it sort of hurt her too. She had adored him as a child, grew close to him then eventually fell in love with him. "Yes I am foolish!" She yelled out scaring a few of the villagers as they merely stared at her from a safer distance. But she had to think this rationally, if things ever could be as she wanted them… if by some act of a god that took pity on them put them together then what would she be?

Luna could never be second place, nor _**third**_.

So she left before it became awkward between them, before he could see her any differently than he had always seen her… as a child.

She weaved through the streets bowing to people along the way, speaking of remedies for their ailing health and answering their questions on Lady Kaede's health. She finally reached the top of the shrine steps and turned around overlooking the top of the stairs to the village below she saw the buildings and trees lining the main streets as lanterns were hung off poles giving off soft glowing light.

"Is that ye Luna lass?"

Luna looked over her shoulder to the elder miko standing at the door of the shrine, "Kaede-sama…!"

Kaede brushed off the girl's warning. "Hush child when my time comes there is nothing you or I can do about it."

"No, your shoes!"

Kaede looked down at her sandals, "Ye did not take all of my slippers lass." She smiled at the pout the girl made before turning away and just folding her arms. Kaede wondered about Miroku's missives that she was wild and rambunctious, the girl was as meek as a sheep. And the girl was not 'odd' though she did have a penchant for burning her shoes and everyone else's. Was this the massive destruction Miroku spoke of, nay she was fine. Kaede could find little evidence to support any of Miroku's claims about his daughter.

But he was right about one thing, the immense power could be felt by those without holy eyes. It was as though Luna had a flood of it and never learned control. Whereas everyone even yon Kagome learned more and grew stronger Luna was at an apex of power with little control. But she was learning to control herself, she merely needed an outlet.

"Your father has written." Kaede watched the girl for a reaction but she had none. Did she not want to see her father? "Miroku-dono will be here at the end of the fortnight."

"Miroku-dono-dama would come as soon as a moon cycle ago, and before Miroku-dono-sama would come a fortnight prior. My prior master has much work to do in the forests of Inari, he will not keep this appointment."

Kaede stared in shock at the way Luna spoke of her father. She spoke of him as though he was not her father at all, she did not even react to the word 'father'. It was a growing concern with Kaede as Luna wouldn't speak of her mother or her brother. Miroku was 'dono-sama' and Sango was 'the taijiya.' "I wonder if Inuyasha will accompany Miroku-dono." The girl rolled her eyes, now _**that**_ was a reaction.

"General Inuaysha-sama would not come this far south."

"Perhaps he would if we invited him?"

"And why would we want to do that?"

Kaede smiled broadly, "Has Inuyasha been an ass to ye child?"

"How many incarnations before he isn't?"

Kaede chuckled at the girl, "His treatment of women leaves much to be desired."

"He is not desirable Lady Kaede." Luna turned, "He killed Kikyou and he probably killed Kagome, why would I want him anywhere near me looking the way I do?"

Kaede sighed understanding the point driven by the girl. Really she had a point and there was no arguing with that. "Luna, do ye still have waking dreams?"

"No." she lied.

Kaede raised an eyebrow. She watched the girl turn from her and looking out blankly to the darkened skies beyond. There were so many questions and so few answers. The answers were probably in the girl herself, that is if she would even speak of it. Luna was very silent about such things unless it involved her anger for Inuyasha. With training she would be a formidable priestess, with time she would be the splitting image of her long deceased sister.

* * *

Luna walked through the woods alone long after Kaede rested for the night deep in thought.

She had been called stupid and ill minded by the taijiya. Then one day these powers sprang fourth and they feared her. She belonged nowhere and even here they stared at her, calling her the third incarnation of a woman she knew to be evil.

And they praised the name Kikyou… not Luna.

And Inuyasha… her violet eyes opened a small fraction as she stared at the graves of the women whom he had before her. She looked like them, like these two powerful women that came before her.

The edge of her lips turned into a frown as a tiny seed of resentment was planted and the door to darkness was opened. Her hands slowly curled into fists as her eyes glowed and a light wind whirled about her form disrupting the leaves.

'_Hate them.'_

A voice whispered deep in her mind. She looked up through dark bangs to the now dark forest beyond the pathways into the forest. Luna narrowed her eyes slightly before turning away from the forest.

'_Hate them.'_

She stopped and looked over her shoulder into the wood as thunder crashed off in the distance. Luna turned her bare feet silent in the grass as she walked towards the darkness. As she held the arrow in her hand she realized she never really learned to use the weapon properly, no one but Kaede bothering to teach her until recent. So she held it awkwardly notching it on the bowstring.

She stopped once she reached the bone eaters well. Luna let out a sigh as she lowered her weapons walking towards the landmark she had visited before many times prior. She set aside the bow and arrows sitting down at the edge of the well shuffling the grass with her feet. Yet today something felt different about this place, she looked down into the well and furrowed her brow when she felt a pull from deep within.

Luna stood and stared into the depths of the well, wind flowed all around her being sucked down creating a vortex deep inside as a purple light began to swirl about. She stood on the edge of the well, her eyes transfixed on the abysmal portal before her.

Luna closed her eyes and took a step back suddenly feeling the need to get away from this place. She put a hand to her head at the feeling of an oncoming headache as she rushed into the deeper wood.

After awhile the wood became unfamiliar as light turned to night and the once distant thunder loomed closer. She turned wondering where she was when she realized she was lost. Using one of Inuyasha's favorite colorful metaphors she sat on the ground and began pulling at the grass.

'_Hate them.'_

Luna looked up into the sky, "Hate whom?" She asked. If a voice speaks one must answer lest it never speaks again or it finds someone else to talk to. And since she was all alone in the wood she was rather lonely so the voice would have to do for now.

'_Hate them.'_

Again it said this and she realized she already knew the answer to her own question. Luna very well knew who 'them' was. She bowed her head as she looked down at her hands. She couldn't lie to herself, although she was learning many things and most importantly the value of unselfishness she was miserable here… in this place… in 'their' place.

'_Hate them.'_

It whispered nothing more than that and she burst into tears covering her face with her hands crying out. She had tried so hard to fit in here, she had tried to be that which Kaede stood for, but even if she took the place of the sweet miko she would be taking the place of another… something she had left her home for. A pair of hands rested on her shoulder and began to soothe her lightly as she gave into her own sorrow as her tears trailed down her cheeks, "I want to go home!"

'_Would they love you, would he?'_

Luna wiped her eyes with the white loose sleeve of her haori. Everyone expected so much of her yet she was just Luna, couldn't they love just Luna?

"No, they wouldn't." She looked up to see a dark figure kneeling beside her, an arm wrapped around her shoulder as the other reached out brushing her tears. The figure was dark and transparent as though ghostly. She could see indents of features but otherwise could see no more.

"Are you real?" Her breath caught when a hand reached out and brushed lightly against her cheek, she barely felt the feathered touch of his ghostly hand as he comforted her.

'_I can be.'_

Her violet eyes narrowed and she asked the question that should not have been asked, "How?"

'_Hate them.'_

She reached out when his form disappeared to grasp nothing. Maybe her head hurt too much and she imagined the whole thing. She stood putting her hand to her head brushing past a tiny bald spot on her thick hair.

Luna frowned remembering this, she did not do her lessons correct and this was punishment. She hissed in pain when the pain increased and she held her head with both hands wishing the pain away when her stomach began to hurt and she felt sick and nauseous.

Luna stood in full mind of heading back to her hut to get rest but the pain was too great and she fell on the forest floor.

…

"Lady Kaede she wakes."

Luna opened her eyes slowly and stared up at the roof of the hut. She made a mental note that there was an unwanted spider living with her and she did not like un-welcomed guests.

"Thank the gods child ye are alive."

"Which ones?" Luna turned and looked up to see Kaede kneeing beside her, the old miko's long white braid over her shoulder. "Lady Kaede you look spent!" The miko's robes were dirty and her face was full of sweat and dirt.

"Aye Luna-sama, Inuyasha's forest has been ablaze for days. I thought ye were lost to us."

"Ablaze?" She sat up and stared at the miko, "What happened?"

"The lighting must have stricken Inuyasha's forest. A massive fire has set fire to the woods child. Tis over though." She patted the girl's cheek wondering this… they found Luna unconscious in the middle of the burned forest yet she was completely unharmed.

"Lady Kaede." Kaede turned to a few of the villagers that were staring pensively at her. "She is fine."

"That is why we are worried."

Kaede took in a deep breath.

* * *

She smiled when she felt his presence and slowly opened her eyes to see a tall imposing figure at the doorway. "Shippou." She whispered softly as she held up a hand.

Shippou walked into the dark hut lit by candles and brushed back his cape as he knelt on the floor besides her taking the hand she offered. "Kaede." He whispered to the woman he had called grandmother. Her hands were cold and weak, her uncovered eye was cloudy and her face was flushed.

"I would offer ye tea, but I'm afraid I can't get up."

"Do not worry about propriety."

"Sake then?"

Shippou laughed a bit before his smile faded, "I did not bring the children."

"They should not have to see a dying old woman." Kaede gave him a weak smile, "Where is Miroku?"

Shippou bowed his head looking down at the ground, "Miroku thinks it is better this way."

"Shippou, my dying wish is to beat Miroku."

"That lady Kaede can be arranged." He looked into her eye pensively, "I have heard things about Luna, even at Inari. They say she destroyed Inuyasha's forest, that she is becoming a demon. Kaede is this true?"

"It is true Shippou. She has no control over her powers, and she is… changed."

"Changed?"

"The girl ye knew is not there anymore, replaced by… I do not know what. Shippou I cannot protect her anymore. These villagers are simple minded and superstitious."

He was afraid that was the case. "Where is she?"

"She is where she always is, at the temple." Kaede closed her eyes. "Make her leave, take her with you."

He nodded and stood up bowing his head to her before walking out of the small hut she lived in at the bottom of the shrine steps. There were many people bowing on the ground praying for her health and mourning Kaede's inevitable loss. He stood at the bottom of the shrine steps and looked up to the top where an odd darkness stood there even at suns light. There was an eerie feeling as he climbed the steps and his senses heightened at the feeling of impending danger.

Once at the top it was as the sun was covered by thunderous clouds. Nothing felt right here. The twisted bare trees charred and broken was all that remained of the once lush forest. He walked into the shrine, a darker place with not even a candle to illuminate it. There was someone kneeling on the ground, he walked slowly towards the person and held out a hand placing it on her shoulder, "Luna?"

In an instant she stood turning around and putting a dagger against his throat. Shippou stared down at the girl in disbelief, "Luna would you do that to me?"

Her violet eyes widened. She took a step back shaking as she dropped the dagger and bowed her head in silent apology.

Shippou reached out a hand, "I came to take you home."

"Home sir?"

"Luna, come home." She took a step into the light and his hand dropped to his side staring at a nearly identical visage of the late priestess Kikyou. Her hair was the same, he face was the almost the same, she was a tiny Kikyou.

"I have no home sir." She put her hands in her sleeves and walked outside with the demon lord following.

"Luna, please your father and mother…" He watched as she turned around and stared at him. Maybe this wasn't a good idea and they both knew it, "You can't stay here."

She looked out over the city. "They are scared of me."

"They don't understand." She didn't move, just stayed looking down at the town. The time here did nothing for her, she was calmed in mind but this would be a repeat of the slayer village in the end. Kaede was dying and she could not take care of her, but where would he put this dangerous child? Perhaps a lesser lord owed him a favor he would speak to some of them before coming back for the girl, "I will find a place for you." He put a hand on her shoulder, "I will return soon."

She watched him leave, the tall elegant demon lord was out of sight and she cocked her head to the side wondering what his name was.


	8. Eight

She looked down at the incense that rose in plumes from its place before the freshly dug grave as she rested a lovely blue flower upon the fresh soil. As she stared she realized how utterly mortal she was, how her life would come and go like the flame of a candle before the wick ran out and another candle was lit to replace the light that you used to shine.

Tilting her head to the side slightly she looked towards the remains of the forest that appeared more eerie than its barren state. A dark aura was ever present these days watching her, waiting for something.

"Lady Luna…"

She didn't bother turning to the head villager as she resumed her gaze to the grave of her mentor. There were several of them behind her whispering 'demon' and 'creature' behind her back. It had gone beyond fear and rumor into something that only Kaede could protect her from until she passed away, and now without her mentor to shield her from their suspicions she would be victim to prejudice and violence. "Kaede, forgive me."

"We don't want you here."

"I know." Luna whispered as she turned around looking into the eyes of the villagers that were gathered for her eviction. The farmers of the land stared at her some shivering in fear as others merely ran off frightened.

"Those be demons eyes." Someone whispered particularly loud enough for everyone to hear. "She destroyed the forest and killed our crops."

Inuyasha's forest remained charred and burned as no vegetation would grow in the forest or near it. Somehow she had done that at least that is what they believed. She saw dark fog lingering about this place… then again she wasn't sure what she saw anymore. Everything stopped making sense to her as it used to. Was she crazy? Even worse… was she evil?

'Hate them…'

Brilliant violet eyes that glowed with a red hue closed lightly as the cold nights air awakened her senses to the voice that whispered from over her shoulder. She didn't cry out when they finally grabbed at her dragging her to the center of the village crying out 'witch' as her hands and feet were bound and she was thrown to the ground.

Would this be her fate wherever she went? She didn't flinch as she was shoved face first to the ground as people began to throw rocks at her as others began to call her names and rip at her clothing.

'Hate them…'

Her almost red eyes looked up at a villager who held nothing but anger and disgust at her. And she had given her life to these people… to protect them and help them? Perhaps the voice was right, it was always right. Violet eyes changed to red and they narrowed as she screamed out, "I HATE YOU!"

The ground shivered at her exclamation as fissures cracked and a dark wind surrounded her form. Luna began to hear something coming near she slapped her hands over her ears wincing of the painful noise. Out of the ground long eel like creatures that glowed eerily arose. Although the shini dama chuu flew noiselessly to others she was perhaps one of the few that actually heard them screaming like wild banshee.

When the screaming subsided she cautiously opened her eyes wondering when she had closed them. When it was too quiet she gasped looking up. Luna slapped her hand over her mouth. The whole town was dead, completely and utterly… dead.

She sank to her knees and stared out at the sea of dead bodies of those she had once loved and protected. A light rain began to beat on her head as thunder neared before she took off running and crying realizing what she had done and deep in dark slumber someone sinister smiled.

'_I killed them all!'_

**_Chapter 8) The Return to Darkness_**

She took a good look at herself in the still pond as she idly fidgeted with the ends of her hair. A small koi swam to the top of the pond casting ripples in the waters distorting her image.

She had been born in poverty, born in an impoverished land beaten and abused as everyone wished her death that she would wander in the woods and not return yet here she was… her eyes beheld the estate in which she was now living in. It was a grand estate made of white stone and looked so cold not unlike the lord of this place.

"Baka Jakken." Rin muttered with a smile on her lips remembering when Jakken said she would be long gone when her master established his house and lands. Yet here she was, time is so odd is it not?

There were times where she wondered what it would be like to live in a human village now that she was elder, but she feared it greatly. No one cared for her, or wanted to so she was better off away from the humans. She was scared of her own race yes demons feed off of humans because of a need not killing without reason as bandits had done to her parents. She had been shunned by her own race, more than once almost stoned when the villagers recognized her as demon property. Well there was one human that was ever so kind to her… and she was gone now.

Everyone she loved passed, or wanted to love. Kagome was no different, the woman was truly pure and kind to all races…

She let out a sigh as her mind wandered to many things before it settled on a set of dark brown eyes and black hair. She blinked wondering why she was thinking of him again, Kohaku. Of course he had grown as she did time made sure of that. The only thing was that he had… well… grown. She placed a hand on one side of her face keeping her obvious blush in check.

It was the way he had looked at her for the first time in a long time. There was no childish gaze in that stare. She wasn't that pretty… was she? Rin knew that girls her age were married by now, with children.

Would she be a good wife and mother?

Did he think her to be pretty?

Better yet, would her lord allow her to leave?

Rin shook her head lightly. She had better stop thinking of that young man. Her lord did not like him and it was made very aware to her. Yes he had tried to kill her but he was being manipulated by Naraku, and that was years ago.

It was hard having Lord Sesshoumaru as her keeper. Very hard. An exasperated sigh left as she frowned. Sesshoumaru was a bit…possessive when it came to her. But then again he was only looking for her well being although it was really hard for her to gauge what he was thinking for he never wore his feelings on his face.

Men, demon or human they were hard to understand.

She reached in her robe pulling out a small red velvet pouch. Pulling the small string she opened it just enough to reach in and take out a chain that held a few demon bones before a small dull orb came into view.

Was this all that was left of the woman who sacrificed so much so others could be happy? Somehow thinking of Kagome's body buried in that small grove still made her sick to her stomach. It was supposed to be happily ever after, not this. The news of her demise upset her lord master visibly to the point she wondered if there had been something between the two for her master did not easily surprise nor easily distressed.

She coiled the chain in her palm staring at the dull grey orb void of power. She curled her fingers around the tama standing up turning to the soft breeze that blew across her face sending a stray hair in front of her eyes.

'What is it you wish child?'

Rin blinked once looking around the gardens searching for the soft whisper that called out to her. The birds and insects confirmed her solitude.

'What is it you wish child?'

She raised the hand that held the tama to eye level as she gazed upon the orb that now swirled with purple light within its inky depths. It was a woman's voice, stern yet soft and so very far away. "A wish?" Rin whispered as she once again before sneaking a quick glance to her left and right before leaning closer to the tama. Perhaps Kagome did not make a wish upon the tama.

Then that means…

'What is it you wish child?'

'I must inform the master' Rin thought to herself ready to rush to the castle still being built across the meadow yet she stayed put. Perhaps it was because of her humanity, the want so engrained into instinct that she was filled with a deep desire she had only recently begun to feel.

In her mind she saw an image of herself running up a hill decorated with thousands of brilliantly colored toji into the arms of Kohaku who was rushing towards her. They embraced before the image faded away.

'Is this what you wish child?'

"Who are you?"

'Your heart already knows the answer to your question. Offer me your soul and you can have power, beauty… anything you wish.'

Rin shook as she clutched the tama in hand feeling her heart skipping beats at the anticipation and nervousness in her heart. She shouldn't want this, a small voice in her mind whispered at her. Yet she did want this. The power within the tama was great and did not a miko's soul like within? Rin's wish was not one in taint it was pure… she reasoned with herself. "Yes." Her rebellious tongue whispered.

Suddenly a bright light burst from the jewel through her body pouring fourth all around her. Feelings of hate, despair, misery, desolation flooded through her in a steady stream. Rin opened her mouth to scream but nothing came out.

Pain, incredible pain…

Then nothing.

…

Inuyasha leaned against the pole as he surveyed the forest. He looked up once the rain began to beat down on his head, "fucking great." He let out a sigh shaking his head wondering if his luck would get any better today. Maybe he should go out and kill something today. He ran his fingers through his hair in his impatient irritation. That didn't seem to help when he found a rather large snag in his ebony locks just before the string holding it in a high ponytail. His annoyance was enough to throw fuel into the already proverbial inferno. He let out a snort gritting his teeth.

'_Just take deep breaths, count to ten and poof… you'll feel a whole lot better.'_

The 'poof' he was waiting for wasn't coming nor would it be anytime soon. He closed his eyes trying once again to calm himself down looking for that 'poof' not knowing what it was or if he was feeling it and it wasn't working. It was one of the unusual things Kagome had told him to do to try awhile ago and he was still trying to figure it out. Maybe it was some sort of miko chant, Kaede could probably help him it.

Because he was certain he was doing it wrong.

Usually Kagome tried to teach him this chant after their 'sessions' with Kouga. Actually he was forced to listen while he was lying in a three foot deep personal body crater. His hand once again fingered the very old beads and demon bone still adorning his neck. Kagome rarely got upset and he very well knew why. The answer was lying around his collar.

There were not three times he could think of that Kagome actually got really pissed. One of those times was after he had the vile stupidity to ask what she had been doing with Kouga after he had captured her. Well, what was he supposed to think?! The wench went and got herself kidnapped and when he went to rescue her she was all like… Kouga-kun.

The thought of that wimpy wolf shit still ticked him off to no end even after seventeen years. The way that idiot 'declared' his love to Kagome in battle after he himself went through hell to get her back….and to put his filthy claws on her….

The miko chant was now definitely not going to work now.

A stray thought crossed his mind as a small smirk graced his lips. He had become quite the little expert in finding those little triggers that would set the Kagome off. The crisp scent of ice overpowered her usual calming floral scent when her aura flared with her anger. And sometimes Inuyasha found himself being sat more often than not just to catch a whiff of that aroma. A little back pain was worth it. Now he'd probably get his back broken.

His mind wandered to Luna again wondering how she was fairing being the town's miko. Somehow he just couldn't picture her taking on such a great responsibility. Sure she was gifted for lack of a better word, but she was Luna the runt…

The same girl that had snuck into his hut that night before she left… his mind wandered inadvertently to 'that' night. She smelled of fresh cut grass, he sometimes desired his demonic sense just to know the scent more… to smell it in his half inu form to take the scent to memory. Would Luna scent as fire or strong spice when she was upset? She could be quite the raging sea when she wasn't happy, yet the girl's idea of riffed off was timid and cute compared to say, Kagome that could deal some physical damage.

Yet her aura was as intense as her calculating gaze even as a human he could feel it. That of course sent demons to her by the dozens. He thought back to Kagome and how they'd always be attacked left and right. Inuyasha thought it was because of the jewel she carried. Now he knew that it must have been her powerful aura as well.

The older Luna grew the more striking her similarities were to the two priestesses in his life, sometimes he wondered if he had been cursed by some sort of demented deity that got its kicks out of making him miserable. He would never admit to Kagome of her great beauty but it was hard not to hide Luna from gaining the attentions of every male she came in contact with even warlords. Miroku be damned proud of his daughter that's for certain.

His fists balled as he closed his eyes from the dripping rain. Inuyasha grunted putting a hand to the left side of his face when he felt a throbbing sensation of the scar he carried. The wind changed directions sending a cold gust causing him to wrap the black cloak tighter around him.

He heard someone climbing up the ladder, after realizing who it was he just rolled his eyes guess today was just not his day. "Hey Sango what the hell are…" Inuyasha looked down at the tip of a blade was placed against his throat to Sango's hard brown eyes that stared at him.

For years long after Kagome's name faded from everyone's lips Sango had still despised him with all her heart. She hated him because Luna trusted him she hated him because he was meant to be hated. She had stayed arms length from him not speaking to him unless necessary but she had to end this between them.

"I did love her."

Sango looked down at Inuyasha through half lidded eyes. His long black hair was a mess piled around his body as too long bangs stuck to his face dripping water over his too pale skin. His left eye was nothing more than a white orb of nothing. It was a gift from the love he had lost sixty some odd years prior. Her companion looked aged, worn and an endless sorrow always etched into his roguish face.

She had seen Inuyasha in battle as a human. He fought as though he had nothing to lose, charging into battle mostly on horse because of his previous injury to his leg. It was somewhat of a sight to behold seeing Inuyasha fight beside his demon Lord and master, bright red clothing under dark armor covered with blood gleaming in the light of the moon as his long hair which he usually kept in a high tail fluttered around his form like a midnight screen holding his large sword with his kill lying before his feet.

He brought about a sense of pride and respect that he did not have as a hanyou. The reckless youth replaced by aged wisdom of battle, sharpened by the sword he held at his hip beside the one he kept in memory of his past demonic era.

Sango couldn't help realize that Inuyasha wished to die every time he left the house to battle Inuyasha truly believed he would not return. And here and now he was waiting for her to deal him the death he had been waiting patiently for.

If there was one person who had atoned for his sins, it was Inuyasha.

"I know." The tight grip on the knife lessened and she took it from his throat replacing the blade back in her sash.

Inuyasha reached up untying the cloak from his shoulders and resting it on her form, "You shouldn't be out here Sango you may have to burn your shoes to purify them now." He smirked at something someone had once told him.

"What?" She stared at him oddly.

"Nothing, something the runt did."

"She burned her shoes…" Sango stared before she snorted and shook her head thinking of better days so many years ago, "What is it like in the future?"

Inuyasha thought back to those years when he was still young remembering the rush of jumping through the bottomless well, "There are buildings so tall the trees could never reach them. So many humans I could never count them all and cities so large they engulf entire valleys… I hated it."

Sango remembered some of the things Kagome used to say about her time, it wasn't much but to actually be there instead of hearing about it. It was still so very far away she would never live long enough to see Kagome again. The thought crushed her but if she had to die, let the girl return to her own era.

"I don't think she made the right choice."

Sango looked up to Inuyasha who was giving her a stern look. "Kagome?"

"Well, no Kagome shouldn't have trusted me but…" He looked at Sango, "I don't think you should have let her go."

"Luna again… will you always hold that against me?"

"Will you always hold Kagome against me?"

Sango looked at the human and nodded her head, "Fair enough."

"Look I know she wanted to go do this, but I don't think she likes it there." If there was someone in the lands that knew the girl best it was him. She was just a kid forced to grow up too early. Fuck that she was 'off' her place was here.

Sango let out a sigh running her fingers through her marbled colored hair, "She hates me Luna wouldn't want to come back because of me."

He looked over to Sango, "She'd come back for me."

Sango looked up to Inuyasha who stared at her with one dark eye and the other completely voided out. The years had not been kind to him, his body scarred of battle and Kikyou and here he was… wanting her daughter. She narrowed her eyes at him, "You stay away from her."

"I can protect her."

She stared at him for a moment wondering about the seriousness in his eye, "You're asking me for my daughter?" When he nodded she reached out and hit his shoulder, "Absolutely not! She's too young, you're too old and if this is some sort of fetish for the same woman you're fucking crazy!"

Shit she hit hard. His shoulder was going to ache in the morning. "For one she's not too young and doesn't matter how old I am Miroku promised her to a lot of aged warlords so he could spend the night in the mansion and not in the forest and if it keeps her here and out of trouble why not?"

Sango reached into her sash for her knife and Inuyasha reached to his side for his katana. Both merely kept their hands on the hilt of their weapons narrowing their eyes at each other.

"Why do you want her here?"

"Why don't you want her here?"

Sango finally closed her eyes and let go of her weapon. Somehow even knowing everything she knew about the man before her she couldn't say no to him. Inuyasha could actually protect Luna, he had been her whole life. She gave him a glare as she placed a straw hat on her head, "Don't screw this up… again." With that she turned around heading back down the steps, "Dinner's in a bit, I think the forest can watch itself tonight."

Inuyasha raised both eyebrows at her comment. Although Miroku had tried to reason with the huntress Sango never allowed him to dine together. It didn't matter anyways, Inuyasha preferred to eat alone in his shabby hut. Shippou always tried to drag him into his estate but Inuyasha always turned him down. He didn't want to eat around his maniac kids or Sango's violent mood swings.

Inuyasha watched the woman walk away from him, her hand reaching up to grip the edge of her hat. "What you having anyways?"

Sango stopped before turning her head looking over her shoulder, "Ramen."

The edge of his lips quirked upwards, "Then count me in." The trees began to shiver with an unexpected cold wind causing all the natural sounds in the air to silence. He stared out into the forest a bit wondering of the sudden change as the rain suddenly ceased.

Sango stopped walking down the steps to look out into the night, "I felt that."

Inuyasha felt a shooting pain in his left eye before he reached up placing his hand over the appendage that for some reason began to burn.

'Hate them…'

He heard a soft voice whispering through the winds with his own human ears. Inuyasha grit his teeth as the burn intensified spreading throughout his body. Deep down inside a caged animal wanted to come out but was locked deep within fighting claw and fang to be released from its invisible prison.

"Inuyasha." Sango stared as he doubled over in pain. "What's wrong?"

"Didn't you hear it?" Inuyasha spoke out in a harsh whisper. "That voice?"

"No." Sango looked around her feeling the malicious aura consume the area in the form of shivering cold. She placed her hand on her katana unsheathing it from her side holding it out as she scanned the area. "What did you hear Inuyasha?"

Inuyasha ignored the pain as he stood up placing his hand on the hilt of his sword gripping the handle tightly before unsheathing his sword holding it out before him.

'Hate them…'

His brown eye narrowed as he heard an ominous voice he had not heard in a long time. "Naraku."

Sango turned to him in worry. "Naraku? What is he saying?"

"Hate them." Inuyasha sheathed his sword, "That's all. He's dead and can do no harm from hell."

"But who's he talking to? Why now?"

But it was the next thing he heard that caused his blood to chill with utter surprise, words he never thought he would ever hear… especially not from her.

'I hate you… Inuyasha.'

His mouth opened in a gasp hearing his own name said by one whom he never thought would walk the path of darkness. "Luna."

"Luna?" Sango reached out and grabbed his sleeve when he started to walk down the steps, "What's going on Inuyasha? What do you mean Naraku's talking to Luna?"

Inuyasha stilled when the forest birds scattered up into the horizon scared by something out in the wood. "Something's coming!" He yelled out to the watch on the ground, "Kohaku!" He called out to the young man that didn't have a gimp in his leg as he did.

"I'm on it!" Kohaku ducked under the slowly rising gate and reached back for his sickle chain readying himself for combat. He stilled when he saw something completely unexpected heading his way, "Lady Rin?"

The girls eyes were dazed as she walked slowly up the path, her feet dragging slightly as she stared at him. How did she get to this place? And where was her protector? Kohaku raced towards her when she began to sway back and fourth almost miss stepping. He wrapped her arms around her form and she just crumbled in his arms. "Rin, talk to me!"

Her eyes glittered with tears, "Is this… real?" Her arm rose upwards towards him and Kohaku gripped her clutched hand gently.

"What's wrong with her?" Inuyasha finally arrived as he clutched his knee resting his weight on the other leg, "Where's my stupid brother?" He looked around knowing Sesshoumaru would just appear out of nowhere when it came to the safety of this girl. But when he didn't appear Inuyasha looked back down to the girl who seemed out of breath yet nothing was wrong with her, not even her clothing had been torn or worn from a long walk in the woods. "She wouldn't just appear out of nowhere."

"I know." Kohaku reached down and patted her face with his free hand, "Rin are you alright?"

"This is what I want…" Her doe eyes closed and she went lax in Kohaku's arms with a tender smile on her face. Her hand fell to the side and the glowing shikkon no tama bounced out of her hand and down the hill a bit before stopping at the tip of Inuyasha's sword.

Inuyasha raised the sword that now held the chain of the shikkon no tama. He narrowed his eyes at the lightly glowing sphere.

"That's… not good." Kohaku muttered as he held the woman tightly in his arms.


	9. Nine

**_Chapter 9) To Wish it all Away_**

"It's… complicated."

He was expecting a slight reaction less subtle than tossing him across the length of the grand hall. After he had slid to the ground in an undignified heap he stood up, brushed off his clothing and this time stood beside Shippou. Although Sesshoumaru merely stared blankly at him he knew within those golden eyes the demon lord was stark raving mad.

Miroku had the unintelligent thought of giving Sesshoumaru the terrible news face to face but that proved rather eventful. Inuyasha was standing next to him with his arms folded giving him a look that clearly meant 'stupid.'

"As I was saying… there's nothing physically wrong with Rin." He held up a hand to his defense before the demon lord ripped his throat out, "Sango herself checked the girl's body." Of course the last thing he wanted was a jealous Sesshoumaru on top of an angered one. "But spiritually… she's dying."

"Explain." The demon lord commanded as he stepped closer. Uneasily Miroku took a couple steps backwards.

"This." Inuyasha tossed something at Sesshoumaru saving Miroku's already frayed senses.

Sesshoumaru caught the object and turned his hand around as he lowered it to his face uncurling his fingers to reveal a glowing glass ball along the length of a bone chain. He raised an eyebrow at the tama, "It was dead."

"'_Was_' is the right word." Shippou folded his arms in his long sleeves walking up to Sesshoumaru, "The girl held it in her hand when she was found in the forest. As you can feel its pull, it is tainted and not even Miroku can cleanse this evil from it."

Sesshoumaru gripped the tama between a thumb and forefinger staring at it wondering if crushing the jewel would be the answer.

"I've never felt the tama so… corrupt. There is not much I can do for her other than ease the pain." Miroku bowed his head, "There is nothing more I can offer."

"Another monk."

Although it was a slight on his holy pride Miroku had indeed thought of that several days prior. "Three tried and three failed."

Shippou gave Sesshoumaru a stern look, "It is best, the fewer that know the better."

"For you perhaps?" He glared at the kitsune lord.

Shippou reached up to his temple rubbing it lightly, "You wish to protect the tainted shikkon no tama? There is no miko that can keep this pure Sesshoumaru, not anymore. And its pull will draw thousands of rogue demons towards it."

"And the other?" Sesshoumaru looked at Inuyasha pointedly.

Inuyasha met Sesshoumaru's look and held it for a moment before answering, "I don't know the extent of her power or the extent of her mental capability to handle it. She's…"

"Touched." Sesshoumaru offered watching a small amount of annoyance come from Inuyasha as his eyes suddenly glowed a faint red before ebbing away into the dark brown and white abyss of his human form.

Inuyasha internally seethed at his brother when he said that. Those had been one of the many names that people had called Luna in the past. If they dared say it in his presence he'd beat them to within an inch of their pathetic lives. Yet now wasn't the time to get mad, nor was he even close enough to strength to par with his elder brother and live to do it again another day. "It's only speculation." He folded his arms looking down at some unseen speck on the ground.

"Your unease tells me something has happened." Sesshoumaru read into Inuyasha's behavior. The monk and kitsune sharply turned towards Inuyasha.

"It happened the night we found Rin, something like a whisper of Naraku talking to… Luna."

Sesshoumaru raised an eyebrow yet he said nothing.

"And you would share this information with me when?" Miroku stood in front of Inuyasha and yelled at him. "I'm a parent Inuyasha!"

"We had pressing things to worry about." Inuyasha inclined his head towards Sesshoumaru meaning the young woman and her failing health. Shortly after she came to the gates of the estate she fell into unconsciousness and hadn't awoken since, her sleep becoming feverish as the girl started to slip into a state of no return. "I'm going to go get her." He walked passed Miroku, his brother and Shippou into the nights light rain as he grabbed the reigns of his horse and with practiced skill mounted the beast and rushed past the gates into the night.

Shippou watched Inuyasha leave with relative silence, after his departure he looked over to Sesshoumaru and watched the inu that stared at the tainted tama with slight disgust. He turned to Miroku, "You can at least ease her pain."

Miroku nodded knowingly as he left the great hall and the two taiyoukai to solitude. He reached into his violet garbs pulling out several sutras knowing that what he was doing was fruitless but he would do what he could for the sake of the young woman, someone so pretty shouldn't be in pain.

"Make sure he is escorted." Sesshoumaru muttered as an afterthought.

Miroku rolled his eyes as he got the not so subtle hint.

"His mate makes sure to that." Shippou said with a soft smile in light of the situation as he calmly walked over to his elevated platform and sat down on the wooden seat. He reached up and ran his talons through his dark red hair letting out a tired sigh, "Will the world ever be rid of such a thing? Or is it a necessary evil, chaos to order, good to evil, pure to tainted, Kagome to Naraku."

Sesshoumaru looked up from the tama to the tai wondering why he said that last comment. "You believe since Naraku died… then naturally so must that girl, Kagome?"

"I have reviewed this from all angles, even those that I don't believe in." Shippou leaned forward resting his elbows on his knees. "My otou-san believed that in nature there must always be a state of balance. Perhaps to weed out the most benevolent and the most malevolent was that thing you hold in your hand. Whatever mysteries surround the Shikkon no Tama one thing is known, anyone that comes in contact with it… will fall to misery. I saw it all my life when I traveled with half mutt and Kagome. Even if you heard of it, your fate was sealed."

Sesshoumaru paused as he looked down at the tama, "Prepare her for travel."

Shippou looked up with confused eyes, "To move her would surely kill her." He saw the concentrated look in Sesshoumaru's golden eyes as he looked to the sword the tai carried with him, one he rarely used. "Tensaiga will have no effect it purges death not evil, her soul hangs in the balance of the shikkon no tama and however long she can fend off the evil."

Sesshoumaru lidded his eyes as though the weight of a moons cycle of unrest now was felt in that instance, "If she is to die then, it shall be in the west."

Shippou watched as he turned and walked out of the great hall, his loose clothing and long hair fluttering behind his intimidating form. Shippou shut his eyes and shook his head.

...

The stench of death and rotting corpse in the fire had long ago called upon the scavengers. Several large birds huddled over the body picking at whatever the fire did not consume they didn't even bother paying him heed as he intruded in this scene of death.

He held up his arm covering his nose from the stench of rotting flesh in the sun baking in the fire frowning. How did a town of over a hundred souls suddenly just die? What had happened here? Time and a hard life had seasoned the warrior not to act rash or blindly rush through fire as he would have done so long ago. Inuyasha wandered through the cobblestone main street littered with carts that had appeared to be untouched beside the thieves that had taken their pick. Inuyasha winced when he saw a young child with her family, bodies preserved just long enough until the demons or scavengers came about.

Inuyasha quickly surmised that there was no threat to his person so he sheathed the long sword he had been clutching since his arrival to his side along with tetsusaiga. He knelt on one knee looking down to an elderly man that surprisingly enough had no outward wounds to him other than unusual looking veins were creeping up the man's face, almost consuming him. Open eyes were almost white… he just dropped dead…

If there were any survivors of that he was quite doubtful of… then they had long since moved on.

His heart sunk the deeper into the village he walked in this place devoid of life. Luna was surely dead, met the same fate as everyone here… Had he been too late this time? Inuyasha stopped at the hut Kaede used to occupy as his free hand balled into a fist. His failure would be inside this hut, of that he was certain.

Luna was just a young girl, full of life and curiosity. Inuyasha had wanted to protect her, more so than the others because of her vulnerability. Kikyou could destroy anything that came near her, Kagome could nag any living thing to death, but Luna… she didn't stand a chance against a squirrel stealing a pine cone.

He… loved her. Yes, this is something he was old enough to admit. He loved the damn girl and the odd things she said that made no sense, the way she would walk barefoot and stalk imaginary things in the woods, hell he'd even eat her cooking and put up with her infernal snoring.

Why did he love this odd child? Kikyou was strong, Kagome was stronger, yet Luna was meek and shy. Perhaps after living for so long he was stupid not to deny himself what he'd wanted for almost a hundred years.

…someone he could truly protect.

'_I hate you… Inuyasha.'_

Still those words haunted him just as Kikyou telling him he betrayed her, Kagome screaming that out before Kikyou killed her and she disappeared into the future… now Luna sealed her fate in the line of women he could not protect.

He reached up and pushed aside the bamboo curtain peeking inside finding things overturned and rummaged through, it seems birds were not the only scavengers in this world.

But she wasn't here.

Although this scene brought him a great deal of distress not finding Luna made him more agitated. He was almost frantic in his search going into homes finding any shred of the girl or her clothing. He needed closure!

"What's the matter Inuyasha? Lost something… again?"

He swung around with a deadly grace. Inuyasha didn't even stop the sword from piercing through the owner of that voice as he narrowed his eyes at the woman's doe colored eyes. She stood a few feet from him dressed in the usual garbs save her weapons. Her long hair fluttered around her form with unseen winds yet the sword stabbed through her neck.

She looked down at the sword and with a finger she reached up and tried to push it aside as her latest reincarnation had done but the index went right through the sword. Annoyed she looked back at Inuyasha, "Finished?"

"Quite." Inuyasha flicked his wrist and sheathed the sword.

"Why the look of contempt Inuyasha? Was there not a time you would have followed me to hell?"

"Times change." He muttered. "You changed." Inuyasha took a great deal of satisfaction watching her eyes flash with annoyance and anger.

Kikyou watched as he began to ascend the steps leading to the shrine house passed charred toji poles where the tama once was housed. "She's not here Inuyasha." She called out to him knowing why he was here and who he was looking for.

"Fucking bad dream…" He rubbed his eyes as he kept walking up the stairs. It rank here of death and he was grateful he was not half demon at this moment in time. He stilled when he reached the top of the steps staring at the sight of three grave markers before the holy shrine. He neared the markers noting one was to Kikyou and the other to Kaede yet he could not grieve for his mentor seeing the third grave that was made for Kagome. It was ruined, destroyed. Dirt was dug up and tossed about.

Kikyou walked behind Inuyasha sparing a glance at the disturbed earth. "Her body isn't here. It's what they were looking for correct?"

Inuyasha sharply turned to the right to see Kikyou standing beside her grave marker. He narrowed his eyes wondering why she was here tormenting him.

"It was the least you could do to make up for her death."

"I wouldn't allow anyone to make a walking zombie out of Kagome."

"Yet you would have me take her soul into myself." Kikyou shook her head making a 'tsk' sound. "My rebirth was not my doing!"

"And you refused to go in peace!"

"You easily wished for my death when YOU had a chance to live again." Kikyou glared at him, "The dead have but one wish, to live again… and her body would have been mine as her consciousness would have been consumed into me as the souls of the dead. But I would have been alive…"

"At the expense of her death?" Inuyasha shook his head, "Lucky for you that even her remains are out of reach."

"You forget in this scheme my physical body is lost to me. So it is not I that was searching for her remains." She spared a glance to the desecrated grave.

"Then who or what was looking for them?" He demanded.

"I don't know."

"Sure you don't." He said flatly.

Kikyou glared, "A mere desecration of an empty grave would not drag you back to this place." She watched as he narrowed his eyes at her, "You came for the other… Luna was her name? Quite the charming child, she used to be very attached to you before she finally decided to let go of something that could never be."

His eyes narrowed into thin slits hearing her talk Luna's name so familiarly before remembering something Luna had once told him concerning Kikyou. "You've spoken to her before."

"You forget Inuyasha, she is me."

"If 'she is you' then why are you here?"

She grinned, "I don't know. Her soul finally consumed me, silenced me made me a part of her. But suddenly… nothing."

"What the hell do you mean? Where is Luna?"

"I don't know. If she was alive, my soul would be dead."

Inuyasha narrowed his eyes, was this a trick she was playing with him?

Kikyou brushed past her grave marker walking towards the unlikely man that used to be half mortal, "Some things were left… undone."

"I'd say that you and I are completely done." Inuyasha had long ago lost his patience with her. He raised the double bladed sword resting it over a shoulder.

Kikyou stared at Inuyasha unused to hearing him speak to her in such a manner. It was as though he had grown up, how very quaint. "I wasn't speaking of us. I'm talking about something I hold dearer to my heart than you." She stood right before the human seasoned by war and the shed of her blood.

"Then why do I get to deal with you, why aren't you with whatever it is that's _dearer_ to your heart?" Inuyasha whispered darkly. Kikyou reached up and with a finger drew a line down the side of his face. Inuyasha didn't flinch at the ghostly contact gritting his teeth ignoring the intense burning sensation.

"I desire it, but I don't know where it is." Kikyou whispered almost too softy taking her finger off his face unable to feel what she had been caressing. "You and I are bound by hatred but bound none the less therefore you have the eyes…" She looked into his left eye before altering her statement, "… an eye to see me." With that she took a step back and her ghost dissolved into the air.

What the hell was she up to? Inuyasha was no religious man but he knew that hearing Naraku's voice and seeing Kikyou was a bad omen.

The eerie winds came from the north, frigid and ominous. He turned and headed up the path into the wilderness that had once shared his name. Sensing urgency he began to run as fast as he could into the oncoming darkness through the dead forest. He gripped the edge of his sword walking down the worn pathway narrowing his eyes at the dark mist. He walked faster until he was full blown running down the pathway holding his sword in both hands as he reached the clearing.

When he arrived he skidded to a halt, his breath was harsh trying to catch up but his breath left his body altogether when he spotted something that made his blood chill.

The bone eaters well...

…was destroyed.

…

Her skin was pale, her pulse erratic and her lips blue. Tiny veins crept along her skin like tears in the flesh. She tossed a bit in sleep, feverish she muttered something incoherently. Shippou rested his hand on her forehead before shaking his head softly keeping her from thrashing too much.

The servants came in, gently placing the girl in a carriage. With one look at her state of being Shippou bowed his head knowing the girl did not have much time to live. He watched from the steps of his estate as they took the girl to the west knowing it would be the last time he would see the one known as Rin.

Miroku stood holding his sons hand who was staring at the scene unknowing of what was happening. Kohaku balled both hands into fists before turning around and heading into the estate unable to speak since the girl had come to the estate, waiting vigilantly by her side yet unable to do anything for her while she was here.

Sango nervously looked on at the procession as they left the mountain through the gates down the hill out of sight biting her lip a bit before wringing her braid with her hands. "I can't wait any longer."

Miroku reached out and gripped her wrist keeping her from crossing the courtyards, "Sango, Inuyasha promised."

"He's not here!" She looked down at the brown eyes of her young son and quieted her voice. "He's not here."

"Tomo, perhaps you could find your cousins." The young boy nodded his head a few times, his messy brown hair swaying with his movements before the child darted into the mansions.

"Sango, Inuyasha promised he would bring her and I believe him." Shippou tried to reason with the huntress.

"I know…" Sango began to wipe her hands on her kimono before she let out a sigh letting her shoulders sag. She looked up at her husband, "But I have to go."

Miroku nodded his head, took her hands and kissed her forehead saying nothing at all to her declaration. "Do what you must."

"Thank you." She whispered. With that the huntress turned grabbing her boomerang from its place in the house. A large fire cat waited for her outside and she wrapped her arms around the cats form hugging it tightly, "Thank you Kirara."

The day was dark and foreboding, the night even darker. As per custom she stopped at the ruined village that had once been home to them. The village was decimated yet again and this time its memory would remain in ruin. This time it was not a demon that destroyed her beloved village but her own daughter…

"I feel like I really messed up." She whispered. Kirara nudged her hand with her nose and Sango gave her a dry smile, "I wasn't ready… not for her… let me feel the pain of my mistake Kirara." She walked away from her long time companion to the dense woods beside it wrapping her arms tightly around her shoulders.

She wasn't soft as her own mother but a seasoned trained warrior like her father and father before him. It was a lifestyle she choose in youth when Hiraikotsu came into her hands It had been forced from the remains of a rare type of dragon's teeth. It was far too large and heavy for any of the boys even some of the men to wield so it remained untouched for a long time in the storage house.

Secretly she would sneak out of her hut rushing off into the night dragging the impressive weapon out of the armory. Night after night she began to test her worth against the mighty weapon with Kirara at watch. Sango had long ago felt the full brunt of the weapon much before it had been thrown back at her by Kanna's mirror.

She must not have been secret enough because her father soon began to take note of her absence and followed after her, finding out what caused his daughter to leave the safety of her home at night. It was then after he watched her skilled determination that she was made to train with the other slayers of the village and not soon after she had become the strongest of their clan. Thoughts of having a family and husband were replaced with thoughts of battle with demons.

She could slay a hundred demons bare handed but could not be a decent mother. Perhaps she expected Luna to be like herself then chastised and even hated the girl when she grew up to look like her best friend but did not possess her fiery spirit.

'_Luna isn't you Sango… nor is she Kagome.'_

Kohaku frequently told her this and she was now more than ever inclined to agree with him. But was it too late now? She had pushed the girl, even had her go through the almost brutal training she endured… and for that Luna became weaker and eventually closed off from everyone even her beloved Inuyasha demanding to go to Kaede's village to finish her training.

Sango stilled when she realized that the sunlight had become twilight and there was an eerie cast in the forest about. A dark fog rolled on the ground and she raised a hand to cover her mouth at the light smell of sulfur.

The temperature took an immediate drop and she let out a breath of air, being able to see it before her. She took silent steps forward into the fog that had wrapped itself around the trees that looked eerily as thought they were reaching out for her.

Walking into the forest it felt as though all eyes were upon her. She was headed in one direction stealthily walking around branches without making herself known to the intruders.

Sango stopped at the edge of a once peaceful clearing. What was once willows and a gravestone that they had erected in her honor was a mess of broken trees and unturned earth.

A dark figure was kneeling before the site, long twisted hair tumbled about his form as he clawed with his own hands at the earth shoving the dirt to the side. Anger built from deep inside seething at her best friend's memories desecrated by this demon. "You… " She grit her teeth, the hand holding her weapon tightened, "How could you!?!"

The man stopped his action before he turned around looking at her with soulless brown eyes. She gasped at the sight of him, taking a step away in complete shock. "It… it can't be."

It wasn't the light pressure of a hand that found its way to her shoulder unknowingly that caused her to stiffen in complete and utter terror.

It was the soft voice that accompanied it.

"We seek the one that was once called… Kagome."

Sango turned her head looking into pitch black eyes before she fainted.

….

She approached him cautiously yet she already knew his keen senses picked up her advance. Her long feathery tail draped behind her form illuminated with a gold sheer in the light as she silently stepped towards him taking tentative steps on the tips of her feet.

Her body was tall, thin and skin next to pure white with streaks of magenta markings lining her cheeks and hands with a prominent magenta crescent moon upon her brow. Small plumes of gold, red and yellow fanned out from her skin covering her body excluding her face, hands, feet and a bit of stomach. Her pierce golden eyes rested on the man who sat at the edge of a seat leaning forward with one elbow on his knee unarmored setting in his habitual white haori, his back turned towards her as his long hair fell over one shoulder.

"Lord Sesshoumaru." She whispered softly trying not to disturb his revere. He said nothing and she knew he had heard her so she spoke on, "We are approaching the final hour of her life, perhaps you wish to be there with her… as humans often do not wish to die alone."

Still he said nothing and his quiet revere unnerved her, "Are you sad Sesshoumaru for the loss of one human girl?"

"Report." He ordered.

She shut her eyes at the annoyance of his avoiding the question at hand. "Today marks the third village completely destroyed and not one spot of blood was spent. You're brother also comes but he comes alone."

After a few minutes he slowly stood up and turned heading out of the room without acknowledging her. The lady merely stared at the place her son had last sat and touched the chair tenderly with an elegant long black nail, "So much like his father."

Sesshoumaru waked through the empty halls of the estate and entered her chambers that stood close to his own. Candles lit the perimeter as the entire place was shrouded in a dark almost miasma emanating from the child herself. The shikkon no tama was not far from her resting on a low table as it glowed a dark violet.

He stared emotionlessly in the dark corner of the room before he put a hand to his hip and grabbed hold of toukijin taking it out of his sash. His gaze stayed at the figure tossing relentlessly on the bed hair thrown about the white sheets.

"Chaos to order, good to evil, pure to tainted…." and in a hushed whisper he said her name, "Kagome to Naraku."

Sesshoumaru stood over the bed with his gaze unflinching. Before him was the small girl who came to him at a tender five years of human age who desperately and without right mind tried to befriend him. And through the years he had seen her grow into the woman who lay before him, only to have her life cut off now… at the peak of her existence.

She was already dead… and he would take her pain and not delay the inevitable.

"Rin." Sesshoumaru spoke out commanding the girl that was barely between death and life heading down a path that would inevitably take her soul into hell. "Hold still girl." Raising the toukijin over her body he paused. The grip on the handle tightening to the point his knuckles turned white.

The lightning flashed, the thunder roared and in a quick thrust the miasma lining the room dissipated. Rin let out one breath before her body stilled from the months of mental torture.

The weight of the sword grew heavy and in one clash of steel against stone the toukijin fell to the ground in a bloody heap. Sesshoumaru moved his hand to a sword he rarely used, tensaiga.

Unsheathing it he raised it over the girl's lifeless body looking intently for the imps of the netherworld only to find them not there. The sword slipped out of his hand to the ground before he picked up toukijin and with a swing broke tenseiga in half.

Inuyasha only stared at the scene before him. "Sesshoumaru… what have you done?"


	10. Ten

'_Is this what you desire?'_

Desire? What did she mean by desire? What was desired? She wanted to open her mouth and ask these questions but she could not, her voice was gone. _'What have I done?' _Her mind screamed yet her conscious self did not understand what she had done.

Unable to move, unable to scream and awaken she laid immobile in what felt like a sea of tar suffocating her, drowning her. Every breath was agonizing, every moment she grew colder as she sank deeper unable to surface from this nightmare.

A heavy fog weighed itself on her thoughts, intrusive and obsessive as she heard distant screams off at some unknown point. And then there was pain, unbearable unimaginable pain that raked through her veins like fire.

'_This is killing her…'_

Her delicate hands fisted in the white cloth as she shifted under the cover. Her teeth clenched in the darkness as her ears picked up the voice of someone she thought she knew… perhaps once before so very long ago.

'_Will the world ever be rid of such a thing?'_

Somehow these words felt tangible, like she could reach up and touch the speaker yet with each passing moment she knew she could not awaken, knew that there was no hope for her… the gods to take her pain and not let her live this nightmare.

'_The tama should remain safe, even for a thousand years. It shall be our secret.'_

The tama? Her mind caught and grasped that word and clung on as much as she had energy to do so. What secret? Yet her mind could not focus on these words as the pain coursed her very veins and eventually the tama lay forgotten as she did.

In the darkness she felt a shadow appeared and slowly moved close to the edge of her bed. The shadow stood over her, tall and imposing even through closed eyes. She could feel his eyes pinned to her vulnerable form yet she could not call out to him, she was unable to scream for help, unable to awaken. Perhaps she fell so far that no one could reach her that had to be it, someone was here to rescue her.

But with every passing second her elation turned to fear.

'_Hold still girl.'_

As soon as she felt the sensation of icy steel pierce her heart her brilliant blue eyes snapped open and she sat up in the bed panting heavily as a shaky hand reached up to cover her heart. She looked down at her hand and saw nothing… no blood… yet it felt so real. "Oh my gods."

She sat in her bed and wrapped her arms tightly around herself burrowing her head into her arms and closing her eyes tightly. Tears feel down her cheeks as she remembered the vividness of her nightmare, the pain, the torture, the agony… it was all so real.

After a moment she finally opened her eyes and looked up at the plain wall across from her bed. Brilliant colored eyes glowed lightly in the darkness seeing everything as clear as daylight with a cast of yellow green tint to it. She rested her chin on her arms and let out a sigh. She had begun to miss the darkness in night, right now she wanted to be alone in the pitch black not caring if something was out there beyond her vision… she just wanted to be alone.

**_Chapter 10) Awakening_**

"Ka-gooo-meee."

A waving hand suddenly obstructed her view and she blinked realizing she had drifted off again. "Huh?" She turned her head looking at the giggling girl that stood next to her desk, "Eri?"

"The chime rang about a minute ago." Eri said smiling down at her as she sat on top of the desk. "You must have been daydreaming again, or is your narcolepsy acting up lately… or was it seizures?"

"I just spaced a bit, I'm alright." Kagome batted the girls hand away from her hair choosing to ignore some of the odder things her grandfather had come up with. Seriously narcolepsy? Of course Kagome had no idea what that meant she just knew that whatever it was, probably meant throwing up and purple spots on her face.

"The flu would be the most normal thing you've had so far." Eri put her hands on her hips waiting for her friend so they could catch some lunch with the others. She watched as Kagome reached out and elegantly gathered her books with long fingers with perfectly manicured nails scraping on the desk. "You're going to have to tell me who does your nails."

"I file them everyday." Kagome muttered as she searched for a piece of paper in the small pile she had in front of her. "I swear I put it in here…"

Eri shook her head rolling her eyes a bit. Sure Kagome did that prefect French manicure… she SOO believed her. Her brown eyes went slightly wide when Kagome finally stood up easily towering over her form. At one time Kagome had been considered a petite beauty by their entire grade, but now that wasn't the case. Kagome didn't even look like a high school student anymore she was like some exotic creature that shared the same name as a Kagome she once knew.

Everyone was extremely worried about Kagome after she had been absent for over three months straight. Phone calls were unanswered and the Hiragashi family seemed so forlorn everyone had thought Kagome passed away and they were keeping the bad news to themselves. Souta just kept telling everyone 'she's sick' and nothing else, her grandfather had un-enrolled her from school due to medical reasons.

Time passed and eventually the phone calls to the Hiragashi house weaned away. Hojou from B class even stopped visiting and dropping off random presents. Eri and Hojou even went out together a couple times going partly steady. Kagome soon became a memory drowned by high school then suddenly… there she was.

No one could believe the tall curvy mature looking woman was once the petite pretty girl with beautiful smile. Even her personality did a pole shift from outspoken quirky and silly to quiet and extremely reserved, she was jumpy and nervous at every little thing. Kagome was always caught rushing to the bathroom throwing up, people that did not know her sicknesses from junior high thought she was bulimic trying to maintain that jealous figure. Kagome was always complaining about smells and it was trying for Eri Yuka and Ayumi to keep up with the list of things she was allergic to and they could not wear around her.

Kagome just wasn't Kagome anymore it was plainly obvious… she was this woman.

A small seed of irritation stirred inside her wondering what the hell could have possibly happened to the girl in such a short amount of time to have her look so… well… like that! Whatever sickness Kagome caught she sure as hell wanted it too.

Kagome didn't catch her friend's eyes while she gathered her books gently stuffing them into her new leather pack slightly upset she had left her yellow one back elsewhere. It was a perfectly good pack still even with the duct tape! "Thank you guys so much for tutoring me while I do some catch up work. I'm being such a burden on everyone."

"Well you're no problem Kag's, you were once better than the rest of us." Eri nodded her head over her shoulder motioning the last student left in the class. She leaned closer to Kagome and whispered in a hushed voice, "I heard she can't even read."

Kagome leaned her head to the side looking around Eri to another student sitting at the first row with her back to them. Her black hair was in mangled waves in sore need of a brushing as her uniform looked handed down and wrinkled terribly. She didn't wear shoes but dirty socks with a hole in the heel of one. Beside her was a stack of books and most of them consisted of grade school literature. "Is she new?"

"Yea, she got here while you were in the hospital. One of the girls from B class says the police escort her to and from school to make sure she stays. I heard she's living in the projects she doesn't even look like she showers. Yuki heard she got kicked out of the last school she was in for fighting. Hojou got stuck with the short stick and has to tutor her."

Kagome was a bit struck with how Eri was talking trash about this girl so blatantly. Had high school turned her friend into this? "Eri, she'll hear you."

Eri girl shrugged a shoulder, "She doesn't say anything just stares at everyone blankly like the lights on but no one's home."

Kagome just stared at her in disbelief! She opened her mouth to say something, but what could she say? She wasn't even around anymore to know what had happened to turn her friend into this… "I promise I'll make it up to you though." Kagome said blatantly changing the subject.

"You'd better." Eri waved a finger in front of Kagome's face watching her deep blue eyes follow it. She noticed something strange in her friend's eyes the way they constricted into almost thin slits somehow mesmerized by the movement of her finger. The girl's mouth opened slightly as her tongue licked her bottom lip. When she saw what appeared to be two small fangs protruding slightly from Kagome's dark lips she snatched her hand away from Kagome pulling it closer to herself covering it with a hand in an almost reflexive action.

Kagome shook her head a bit from the slight daze she was in. She stared as Eri held her hand protectively to her chest staring at her with slightly wide eyes. She could hear the rhythmic pace of Eri's heart was quicker than normal and suddenly Kagome was assaulted with a spicy scent that did not taste well in her mouth. _Fear_

"You feel ok?" Kagome reached out and touched the girls shoulder.

Eri shook her own head and blinked a few times, "Ugh… never mind. We can study later ok? I have to look for Hojou." The girl nervously took a few steps back from her touch and rushed out of the class.

Kagome let out a sigh and shook her head picking up her pack on a shoulder walking towards the door. She turned and looked over her shoulder to the girl sitting here all by herself staring at a book. Kagome could hear her whispering short sentences to herself mesmerized by the words on the page of a simple children story. _'She can read, Eri's just being mean.'_

She was dirty, her long hair draped over almost covering her face completely. Kagome wanted to walk over and say hello but she had her own problems to deal with at the moment. _'Like trying not to scare my friends.'_

She merely smiled ruefully and turned around before she froze and held out her hand in a swift movement catching the door as it opened almost in her face. Light brown eyes were wide in surprise of the boy at the door, dirty blonde hair almost covering his eyes as it was brushed all forward. "Hojou-kun."

"Kagome." He whispered her name, a tint of color forming in his cheeks as he stared at her. He closed his mouth before clearing his throat, "How have you been doing?"

"I'm fine Hojou-kun. I think Eri was looking for you." The spicy smell of his cologne had her put her hand to her nose as she took a step back into the classroom.

Hojou gave a slight frown thinking she stood away from him because he had been going out with one of her best friends. "I… was wondering… I mean if you…"

Kagome gave him an odd look when his scent changed a bit to become spicier than before, "Hojou-kun, I thought you and Eri were going steady."

"Well I mean we should sit and talk, we have a lot to talk about… with the talking…." He let out a sigh, "We were… not official. Me and Eri I mean."

"Well neither were we Hojou." She had always wondered about how harsh her friends were with her for not going out with him. I mean he was the cutest boy in junior high and the most available, but she just wasn't interested. After being serenaded by wolf princes' and having a rocky relationship turned obsessive with one hanyou she wasn't ready to go out with anyone anymore. Kagome was almost relieved when Eri had confided in her after she had come back to school that they had gone out together and it could go possibly steady. She was delighted for them both, a bit sad at her own prospects but so was life. Kagome patted his arm, "I'm ok with it, really."

Hojou seemed downcast at her answer and the scent of his person confirmed it. It was odd how muted the smell of sadness was to overpower even his cologne. But seriously, what did he expect? There wasn't even a 'them' to begin with. Kagome was rarely in school and she knew his interests would eventually shift elsewhere even if it was to her one of her best friends.

Hojou suddenly took her free hand tightly and she stiffened at the action. Suddenly every hair on her body stood up at his touch and she shivered lightly trying to keep herself from leaping backwards or even worse… hurting the boy. "Hojou I don't think that's a good idea."

"I tried Kagome, I really tried. I don't think you know how hard I tired!"

She froze, staring at him with wide eyes as though he struck her and he visibly flinched.

Tried? He did not know what she'd given up… what she sacrificed… and yet she stood before him empty handed and broken. She had given up her whole humanity for a shot at being loved. She wanted to be angry with Hojou but she just couldn't.

"Hojou-kun?" It wasn't Kagome's voice but Eri that came back to find Hojou holding Kagome's hand.

Hojou whipped around letting go of Kagome's hand, "Eri." He reached up and rubbed the back of his neck nervously.

Kagome didn't even stay to explain what had gone on she ducked around them into the hallway. She found herself in one of the women's rooms standing in front of the mirror pulling at her clothes wanting nothing more than to go home and change.

At one time her school clothing made her feel herself, different from those in the feudal era. But now it was too tight and too short making her appear like some character out of an ecchi magazine.

Her mind went immediately to a certain lecherous houshi that would find any excuse to walk behind her and Sango. "Huh, I guess he really was that much of a lecher after all." Kagome had hopes that he sometimes thought civil, but then again this was Miroku she was thinking about.

Somehow it was surprising but not if you knew Miroku. She smiled shaking her head reminiscing the more pleasant memories of the past although it encompassed a pervert. Her smile faded when she felt the dampness of a trail down her cheeks.

She had begun to cry unknowingly again. Kagome frowned as she wiped the tears away. She hated crying. Kagome had cried a river and it seems as though she still wasn't finished. She smelled salt and sneered at the scent trying to hold her nose.

No wonder Inuyasha hated it when she cried.

That name sent a slew of emotions through her body especially after her talk with Hojou ten minutes ago. Her fists balled as her head bowed holding herself upwards using the sink for support. "Why can't I hate you?" Kagome whispered softly.

Kagome hit the mirror almost shattering it. She would have if the school had really put in glass instead of cheap polished metal. "Kami help me let you go… let me hate you." She pressed her forehead on the shiny smooth surface closing her eyes, "Please let me forget how hard I tried."

Her hand absently went around her neck not feeling the thin chain she used to hold the tama with. It was strange how she often reached out for the jewel not finding it there. Kagome never missed its presence before until she realized how much she reached up finding it gone. Kagome figured that the shikkon no tama was still in the warring era, useless considering she was the product of a jilted wish.

Her mind rebelled, let it be a reminder to Inuyasha that he didn't get his wish and Kagome was gone for good.

No, even she knew she was deluding herself. She always wished him the best… even secretly prayed that he had found what he truly wanted even if it wasn't in her.

Kagome's eyes opened when she felt a sharp stab of pain from the only scar on her body. It was odd that after fighting demons and almost getting herself killed that the only scar she would have was from the arrow fired by her undead reincarnation. It was Kikyou's reminder to her of how much of a fool Kagome was… and probably still was.

The girl in the mirror she didn't recognize, this girl was too neutral in face, beautiful and cold. Her once chocolate colored eyes changed into these frigid things. Her face was long and delicate adorned with dark lips and liner and shadow over her extremely long lashes… there were markings on her body as well. Several shadows appeared on her hands and feet. For now they were smudges and she could blame it on her diseases but even she knew that one day they would form into something… permanent. She had seen it in the greater tai of the shengoku jidai, these colored markings on their body. Kagome would be forced to wear long sleeves even in the hotter months, and every day she took a sander to her sharp claws dulling them but they would always grow back into delicate claws.

She reached up patting her ebony hair down over her elfish ears. Kagome blinked once when she saw a white spot in her hair and a black stain on her finger. She let out a sigh as she picked up her pack and started rummaging through it for the can. Kagome knew what was coming and she braced herself as she sprayed her hair with the paint.

The aerosol hit her nose and she dropped the can and ran to the nearest toilet coughing up the contents of the lunch she hadn't even eaten yet.

"Kagome."

"A second please." She muttered miserably. She could sense Eri standing behind her waiting anxiously. Wiping her mouth with toilet paper she turned around to face her friend who stood feet akimbo and arms crossed with daggers glaring back at her, "Nothing happened. We were in a classroom with another student and the door was wide open."

Eri kept her mouth closed but even Kagome could hear the grinding of her teeth, "I don't want him Eri."

"But he still wants you." Angry tears escaped her eyes.

"Why? I never lead him on or anything even in junior high." Kagome looked down to her feet, "You know I was sort of seeing someone else, you guys pushed me into this Hojou thing."

"I know." Eri rubbed her arm. "It's just hard to see someone you like… like someone else." When she saw Kagome's sad expression her eyes widened and she put her hand over her mouth, "Oh Kagome I'm so sorry."

Kagome smiled ruefully and shook her head, "I'm sorry to make it harder on you."

Kagome knew that this change would effectively turn her entire social life upside down. People not only stared at her in either awe or jealousy it also gave her the ability to sense these things. She wished she could be blissfully unaware of Eri's growing dislike of her, or of Yuki's jealous stares and she wished more than anything she could drown out the whispers of Eri talking to Yuki about catching Hojou holding her hand baring his feelings to her… but she couldn't.

This would eventually tear their friendship apart, a friendship that began in elementary. This was all over a boy and petty jealousy. Kagome tried to smile as she talked to Ayumi about her assignments. "Oh I am almost up to speed with math, I have ten lessons left."

"You're almost caught up!" Ayumi clapped her hands together happy that her friend could graduate with her class. "You're not staying up all night to get studying done are you?"

That was the only perk of this whole demonology. She rarely slept, she was thankful for that because whenever she did she had the strangest dreams. So that left her a lot of time to sit and read and do homework. She caught up ten times faster than she would have without the extra time to spend. "I'm not stressing myself."

Ayumi rested her hand on Kagome's, "How are your bed sores coming along?"

Both Eri and Yuki snorted out laughing at that comment and Kagome just seemed to snap. She had put up with enough of her best friends talking behind her back when she could actually hear them. She was tired of pretending anymore for them. She was sick and she was tired, and even if she had been sick in the hospital for a month and she actually did have bed sores it wasn't something that should be laughed at.

Kagome shot them a frigid glare that sent a cold chill down their spines. "They hurt Ayumi, they hurt very much."

"Come on Kagome we're only kidding." Yuki finally composed herself to scold Kagome for not being able to take a joke.

"At my expense?"

"Seriously Kagome you're being a bitch."

Ayumi and even Eri stilled at what Yuki just called her. Kagome stared at her, narrowed her eyes and stood up towering over them. She honestly could not believe how much her friends had changed while she was away… or did her _returning_ cause this all to happen?

"You're not going to the bathroom again are you?" Yuki sat back and folded her arms giving her a 'look' as though not believing she was actually sick to throw up like that everyday.

"First of all I am NOT bulimic, second I did not go to a plastic surgeon, third I am not trying to show 'bootie' to Hojou and last of all…" At this point everyone in the cafeteria was staring at her. "…I feel like I shouldn't have come back at all. Maybe things would have been better that way."

"Kagome." Ayumi whispered.

Kagome just grabbed her sandwich and walked away from the table past rows of people staring at her outburst. She walked through the hallway slowing her pace as her eyes filled with tears.

"That's right, I died didn't I?" Kagome forgot that she had died and she was trying to fill the shoes of someone she just wasn't anymore. Her friends weren't her friends, they were Kagome's friends and they made it abundantly clear today. She was different now and they were jealous of something she didn't even want to be.

The day she returned to class she was singled out and sought after for answers. They called her beautiful, and wanted to touch her as though she were entirely different species… heh. Before Kagome enjoyed her best friend's presence but now she felt cornered and suffocated. All the boys in the hall and even some of her teachers ogled her and she hated every moment of it. She could smell a deep musky salty scent she now realized was lust and that made it all worse.

After the initial shock of her classmates and friends relief at her being well turned to slight and then hints of jealousy especially where Hojou was concerned. Kagome could plainly see that Eri was very interested in him so she backed off from even noticing him in the halls anymore, it made the boy even the more persistent at seeking her out.

Then the whispers began. She could hear a pin drop from halfway across the school yet her friend's backtalk was thunderous. Even Ayumi was tired of having to tutor her in math. Kagome felt isolated and alone and after the other day she realized she should just stop hanging out with her so called friends and leave them alone it was obvious they didn't want her around anyway.

She tried not to have Eri help her with catch up homework and began studying math herself so Ayumi didn't have to waste her time tutoring her. Sometimes she would sit with them at lunch but after Yuki's outburst the other day it left a tense thunderous silence among them.

It was now, right now a few months after her final return from the feudal era that Kagome began to miss her real friends Sango and Shippou and even Miroku…

And yes, she still missed Inuyasha. Even through her selfish grief of her heart she wondered what happened to him after she left.

…

"No, you don't have to help me today I'm almost caught up. Thanks anyway Ayumi."

"Kagome…" She heard her friend sigh into the phone and Kagome knew she was going to bring up Yuki's outburst, "About the other day… I'm sorry that happened."

"Ayumi don't apologize for Yuki or Eri." Kagome leaned against the frame of the door into the kitchen and let out a small sigh of her own, "But it was fun, ne?"

She heard silence for several moments, "You mean this is goodbye?"

Kagome said nothing to answer her question, "I'll see you around Ayumi." She hung up the phone leaving her hand on the receiver for a moment.

"Are you're friends coming over today for dinner?" Mrs. Higurashi walked into the kitchen and grabbed an apron out of a drawer, "I'll have to make more in that case."

"No, they're not coming over." Kagome let go of the phone and looked at her mother busy sharpening a knife. Somehow the thought of a home cooked dinner made her unconsciously lick her lips and her mouth instantly water. "Are you cooking dinner?"

Akiko turned and looked at Kagome standing in the red and white colors of the new uniform she wore. She towered in the doorway with her inky black hair fallen over her shoulders and brilliantly colored blue eyes blinking at her. "Oh I forgot my dear… did you want to head into the shed again?"

Kagome rolled her eyes, "Um… no. I think I'll be safe taking a shower. I mean I think the food will be safe while I take a shower."

Akiko smiled, "Did you want to try and eat with the family?"

Kagome nibbled on her bottom lip. She could _try_ or she could scare the hell out of everyone again. If she wasn't careful one of the neighbors would call animal control… again. She shook her head, "Just in my room please."

She sighed dreamily as she showered thanking the gods for someone inventing running water. It was something she would never… ever take for granted again. After lying in the tub for awhile she stood up and used the fluffiest towel to dry off. She wiped the mirror with a hand and stared at her reflection.

The black hair color had literally melted off. What was left was downy white hair with a hint of silver highlights. She fingered the soft tresses brushing them out with her claws fluffing her bangs. It was damn near impossible to have her hair stay black. She had tried permanent dye to spray paint and it just didn't mask her anymore.

Maybe she should stop deluding herself. She wasn't Kagome anymore… at least not the Kagome from several months ago. Although they didn't allow radical colors in school she was sure her grandfather could concoct something he was an expert in these things now.

She let out a sigh wrapping a towel around her hair gathering it up like a turban. She checked her hands and stared at the two inch long claws that stared back at her. Rolling her eyes she sat her butt on the counter and grabbed a file and began the daunting task of de-clawing herself.

…

Souta tiptoed as quietly as he could poking his had through the crack of the door watching her tying away on her computer. She was dressed in a pair of shorts and pink tank top with her hair in a sloppy bun held by a pen as she furiously finished some report for school.

Before him sat the demoness Kagome.

Anyway he looked at her, she was just not… human. Her hair was not black anymore, now it was white, her eyes were a sky blue that changed from almost white to dark blue like a mood ring. Her ears were tipped like that one guy from Star Trek and she had these silver blurred marks on her arms and legs.

Souta wanted a tattoo just like his sisters. He knew if he asked his mother she would say no. Demons just got to do anything they wanted. If not they would eat them.

Souta gulped. Kagome wouldn't do that… would she?

Kagome let out a sigh as she stopped her typing. Her brother smelled like sugar and oddly enough… a Playstation. "Souta, I know you've been there for the past ten minutes." She turned around to glare at her brother who gasped at the sight of her looking anywhere else but at her. She couldn't very well yell at him to get out of her room. The smell enough confirmed he was scared of her.

Kagome bowed her head letting her bangs cover her eyes. Ever since she had returned Souta had been wary around her. He never looked her in the eyes and made every excuse not to be in the same room with her at the same time. And dinner was just never the same anymore, her demonic needs scaring even her grandfather sometimes. She just couldn't blame him, this time if she got mad at him she would be Souta's worse nightmare.

"It's still me Souta." Kagome whispered.

Souta scuffed his foot keeping a hand on her pink covered door handle. He looked down at his foot getting her courage to ask his sister what he came to ask her. Sometimes her eyes would scare him. "Kagome, I was wondering…"

"What?" She tilted her head.

"Where are your doggy ears, or your tail?" Souta asked in a frantic rush then bit his lip as he saw her get pretty sad hiding her eyes again.

For the millionth time Kagome reached up to the top of her head and felt through her silky hair scraping her talons against her scalp. "Nope. But I'll let you know if I get any."

"Well…. I just thought since _he_ had one that maybe… you would too."

She noted the way Souta skirted around saying Inuyasha's name. "Inuyasha was only half demon Souta." Kagome whispered sadly.

She knew Inuyasha wasn't accepted as either human or demon and so he had to make a place for himself. She had never been brought up in a world of such prejudice between human and demon so was never bias about races. She never thought of Inuyasha as half human or half demon, quite simply as Inuyasha. Wasn't that enough?

'_Obviously not' _Kagome thought bitterly.

"So that means you're full demon?"

Kagome blinked when Souta asked her that question, it catching her slightly by surprise. She cocked her head to the side. She had not given much thought about herself. Kagome stared at her new reflection not knowing the person staring back. Sometimes she was even too scared to look. She had been mostly trying to get back into the pace of her life, slowing it down to what a normal schoolgirl's life should be and trying to forget the lie she had been living five hundred years in the past.

But was she a full demon? "I think so."

The sadness and slight fear in Souta's eyes was slowly replaced by wide eyed awe as his lips twitched a bit before giving her a goofy smile as though he had reached an epiphany. "That is so cool!" Souta ran into the room and stood right in front of her to the point Kagome had to tilt backwards in her seat.

"Can you jump rooftops and claw at things?" Souta stared at her long nails she had been busy painting outside earlier tonight with silver polish and stupid girly sparkles. He had seen Inuyasha slashing a tree tearing it to shreds when he and Kagome were having a fight so no matter how much she put girly things on them Souta knew they were deadly.

Kagome followed his eyes down to her hands. She looked at her claws frowning that she had spent her entire afternoon filing them down. Tomorrow they'd be right back the same length so she painted them brightly so no one could see their deadly purpose past the glitter. She nearly passed out a few times from the noxious fumes.

But it was the nail polish remover that had suddenly become her best friend.

She did wonder if she'd tear stuff up. Well if she ever got mad at her math assignment…

Honestly she had been too busy with catching up a three month loss in school to find the extent of her demonic side. The dinner incidents were enough to scare her into not wanting to find out more. Like she said before, dinner in the Higurashi household had taken a turn for the _**interesting**_ side.

Kagome looked up into the pleading eyes of her kid brother. Why the heck not? She needed a break from the computer anyways, for some reasons some colors were just not coming up right and it was hurting her eyes. And what better way to test out her newly found powers than in front of your adoring little brother? "Do you think we should find out?"

"We should." Souta nodded once before grabbing her hand and dragging her down the stairs himself.

*~*

Mrs. Higurashi brushed the feather duster on the coffee table replacing the small family photo. She blinked once before reaching down plucking the memento to take a closer look at it. This picture was taken a couple of years ago. Souta was still very little therefore didn't want to stand still for the photo, especially not in his little suit so she had to place him on her lap. Kagome was standing to the side of her about thirteen years old the girl looked awkwardly thin as her hair was too thick and wild with a rather toothy grin.

"We should get a new family photo." She waved the picture towards her father who was sitting on his chair looking through an old scroll. "I'm sure it would make Kagome feel better." She frowned when he did not even look up from his reading. "Chichi-ue?" She whispered softly bending down over his shoulder to see what he was looking at.

"Warding seals?" Akiko furrowed her eyebrows wondering what he was reading.

"Yes, warding seals." He raised the scroll pointing to an ancient text. "It is said that if you combine a few of these seals and infuse them with power then you can create a custom warding."

"How nice." Akiko stood up giving him a smile before looking down at the family photo again. "It would be nice to have a newer picture of the family, it would make Kagome feel more at home don't you think?" She once again waved the photo in front of his face.

He batted the picture away, "What I am doing is going to help Kagome feel better." He gave his daughter a triumphant smile before holding out his hands slamming the book shut. "I have to experiment. Don't wait up for me." With that he left the living room taking with him his old books before slamming the back door.

Akiko furrowed her eyebrows before shrugging her shoulder. He had been knee deep in his books for a couple of weeks now and no one knew what he was trying to do. He had even forgone going to his weekly bridge with the seniors at the center to study. She had never seen her father so immersed in something before but if it made him happy she didn't mind.

She looked down to the photo and nodded her head once firmly. They were going to have another family photo taken. She set the picture down on the coffee table before she heard her children barreling down the stairs. "And where are you two going?" She saw Kagome in nothing more than her grungy clothing and her son running around without slippers on his feet.

Souta rolled his eyes impatiently at his mother who was about to scold him for running around without slippers, "We're going to go check out Kagome's powers and stuff." The idea of a superhero in his family had to be verified as soon as possible.

Akiko smiled seeing Souta gripping his sister's wrist tightly. _'Oh good they're getting along again.'_ She waved them off, "Keep it in the backyard and no destroying anything."

Kagome could only stare at her mother as Souta hauled her off. Wow. How her mother could be okay with something like everything Kagome had put her mother through was simply beyond her. Souta dragged her outside of the house in the middle of the courtyard.

Kagome looked sharply to the side noticing a cat walking across the back of the house hunting mice. She blinked but the green cast of color on everything stayed. It felt weird having no difference between night and day except for that touch of green. She missed the darkness most of all, it was like humans had to have that sense of unknown. They had to be afraid of something even if it was something as inane as the darkness.

"So?" Souta looked up at her as she merely stood there stirring her from her thoughts. "Do something."

Kagome hugged her arms around herself. So demons couldn't get a cold huh? She figured Inuyasha pretending he was alright in the cold weather was a macho thing. "I don't know, I've never been a demon before."

"So jump in the air, slice things in half." He made a claw swipe motion with his hand, "Like Godzilla." Souta folded his arms now getting impatient. "Can you breathe fire?" His eyes widened at the thought.

"Can I what!?!" Kagome growled out at him.

"Nope, no fire." Souta was sure if she could breathe fire she would have just done so. "What did you do at the Sengoku era? I thought you killed demons and stuff."

"I was a miko, I purified things." Kagome reached up tapping her finger against her lips.

"You purified things?" Souta let out a sigh. This wasn't fun at all. It sounded like one of his grandfather's stories.

"Hey, being a miko demons were naturally scared of me."

"Any boy out there would naturally be scared of you."

She glared at him. "I'll have you know my archery wasn't half bad."

"You saying it wasn't half good either?" Souta just couldn't see his sister driving a car let alone shooting off an arrow correctly. He doubted she could hit the side of a barn door and even voiced that bit of opinion.

"You asked for it." Kagome marched into the storehouse wrinkling her nose at the musky smell and the layers of dust that was thick over everything. She found an old bow and a quiver of arrows. Her grandfather had once been a master archer in his prime and kept his weapon of choice here.

She walked out grateful that some old artifact didn't come to life and attack her before she shut the door… again. So Souta didn't think she could hit anything huh? Kagome gave him a little shove as she passed by him walking to the back of the courtyard facing a wood target she had set up herself awhile ago for when she came home and wanted to practice. Of course that never happened whenever she was here she was always bombarded with school and friends and family and other stuff. The last thing she remembered to do was practice her archery. Well it's not like she didn't have enough practice in the past already.

She stood with her feet shoulder width apart and her side facing the target as she rolled her shoulders loosening the stiffened muscles from typing too long. She reached backwards pulling out an arrow from the quiver rolling it around her thumb and forefinger before notching it on the string. Kagome looked up narrowing her eyes at the target raising her arm eye level holding out her pointer finger to aim as she brought back the arrow at the same time, right elbow level with her left forearm.

She surprised herself when lights of blue light shot out of her body collecting on the tip of the arrow as a strange wind blew the air around her spiraling about her form. The arrow was released flying in a swirling blue light before it glowed brilliantly shining the dark area brighter than the porch lights. The arrow found its target with a hard thud bursting it into an array of blue sparkles before they all disappeared taking the target with it.

"I can still purify?" _'That was weird my power seemed stronger than before.'_ Kagome didn't understand how she could still be able to purify being a demon and all. The dogs in the entire neighborhood began to bark at the same time and Kagome set the bow and quiver of arrows down taking a step away from the weapon as though she had broken the neighbor's window or something.

"That was the coolest thing I had ever seen!" Souta raised both arms into the air about chanting her name into the heavens.

"Yeah, cool." Kagome took another step back just in case she did something.

The two of them turned around at the sight of their mother standing at the doorway holding up a phone wearing a thin shawl over her shoulders. "Yes mama?"

"That was one of the neighbors at the complex next door she says someone's throwing fireworks out here."

Souta looked up at Kagome and tried not to snort out loud. "Ugh, we don't have fireworks."

Mrs. Higurashi smiled, "Ok Ill let her know it must have come from somewhere else."

Souta snorted out loud after their mother went back inside and slid the door shut, "That was so sweet!"

Kagome shoved her brother on the shoulder a bit, "No its not." He just stared at her and she had to admit it was rather sweet. She'd never seen her own powers before unless it manifested itself while she was attacking an evil monster. It was kind of impressive.

"Can you jump on the roof or something?" Souta had seen Inuyasha do it. Plus Inuyasha carried him on his back as well.

As long as it didn't entail her using her miko power she was all for it. Last thing she wanted was her snoopy neighbor to call the cops on them. Kagome walked towards the well house before stopping in front of it. She looked up figuring the roof was only ten feet up there. She didn't think she'd go high, probably a couple of inches more than she could before. "Well, here goes." Kagome crouched a bit before taking a full leap straight into the air. She went upwards so quickly that everything passed by in a blur.

Kagome gasped at the sight of all the inner city as she floated in the air before falling back down as fast as she came up. She winced knowing that landing would hurt but was surprised to find that it stung a bit and mostly that was because she wasn't wearing any shoes. She looked down to find out she had landed on the well house and saw Souta looking up at her with an ear to ear smile. Kagome took a step forward, this time extending her toes so she didn't land so hard. Once on the ground she looked upwards wondering how high she had gone.

"How did it feel?" Souta asked in awe.

"It feels like I'm jumping on a trampoline, but I never get off the trampoline." Kagome looked down at her kid brother.

Souta could barely contain himself. **"CAN I RIDE YOUR BACK!?!"**

Kagome winced at her brother's cry and held her ears still hearing the ringing of his voice for awhile. She knew that when she got back inside she would have to take some aspirin. But she wasn't even sure the small pills would work. There wasn't a dosage for demons to take them. Maybe being demon they wouldn't work anyways. She sighed as her shoulders sagged. This whole demon thing was going to take some time getting used to.

Souta smiled sheepishly, "Sorry." He had to remember that Kagome had highly sensitive senses. His mother had warned him to be very quiet around his sister. It was another reason it had taken a long time for him to approach her. There were so many new rules on top of the old rules of the house. Kagome wasn't a baby, she was an invincible demon.

Kagome shook the scream from her ears and knelt down patting her back to get her brother's attention. Souta reached out wrapping his arms around her neck as she grabbed his knees standing up. He wasn't heavy at all. Why in the hell did Inuyasha complain so much telling her she was fat?

It was probably because Inuyasha didn't want to be used as a mode of transport.

Kagome leapt high in the air not hindered at all by the extra sixty pounds she was carrying as she landed on top of the well house. She took a short sprint before jumping high carrying them to the larger shrine building. Feeling bolder Kagome raced across that roof leaping higher until she landed on the top of their two story house.

She felt him wrap his arms around her tightly. Kagome was about to run out of breath as she knelt on the ground. "Souta." Kagome patted his forearm lightly, "Air."

Souta loosened his hold on her neck, "Sorry about that." He looked back to see the large jump that scared the crap out of him. It was a long jump. "That was so cool."

"Definitely." Kagome agreed.

"I'm glad you're a demon." Souta leaned against her head giving her a hug. "And you're still Kagome."

Kagome smiled, maybe being a demon wasn't so bad.


	11. Eleven

Akiko held a small bundle of washed uniforms in her arms as she reached Kagome's room and rested her hand on the door slightly opening it a crack so she could see inside.

The sun wasn't quite up yet so her daughter's room was bathed in a hint of blue light. There was a form sitting up against the wall on the bed with the pink comforter wrapped tightly around. White hair fell around the shadow of her face and Akiko smiled. Did Kagome sleep like that again?

She tip toed inside the room around the dirty laundry and looked on the table filled with various books and papers stuffed in the pages. Kagome had been working so hard to catch up with everyone in school, she was proud of her daughter for her effort.

She noticed the tray of food she had brought up last night, the chopsticks were broken, the spoon was bent and the bowl was licked clean. Akiko smiled at the sight happy that this time Kagome didn't break the dishes and the tray.

Even breaths could be heard as Kagome slept lightly in an upright position, she really should wake the girl it was almost time for school. She turned around and rested the neat pile of clothing on her white dresser making sure everything was crisply ironed. Kagome's clothing had to be washed with only soap and water it was the only thing her sensitive nose could stand.

She turned around about to wake her daughter when she froze seeing Kagome standing a few inches away from her towering over her form looking down at her. Akiko could barely see her face in the shadow but the hint of blue light from outside caused her eyes to almost glow.

"Hey mama, are those washed?" Kagome grinned ear to ear. One of her favorite things was socks out of the dryer, they smelled warm and fresh and she couldn't wait to put them on.

Mrs. Higurashi nodded giving Kagome a small smile staring at the very sharp fine points of her canines.

"Cool. Thanks!" Kagome grabbed a few clothes and a rolled pair of clean socks and walked into the bathroom shutting the door behind her.

Akiko finally let out the breath she was holding when she heard the shower turn on. She placed her hand on her dresser and leaned against a wall with a hand over her heart.

_**Chapter 11) The Other**_

Kagome rested both hands on the sink and miserably moaned. As soon as she walked through the doors she'd always made a bee line to the bathroom to hurl. The girls thought she was bulimic, she'd even gone to the councilors once to get a lecture about how she shouldn't be going to such extremes for her body but Kagome had those wonderful diseases to fall back on.

She wiped the edge of her mouth with a fist and stood straightening her uniform that consisted of a red skirt with a white band at the bottom close to the hem and a tight white shirt with a red and white sailor collar with quite a low cut front she didn't quite care for. Some part of her was relieved the change of uniforms, another was still longing for the past.

Kagome let out a sigh and muttered to herself, 'here goes anything' before walking out of the pink tiled bathroom into the hallway.

She could feel eyes on her and even hear the whispers from her classmates all the way down the hallway.

'_She definitely got plastic.'_

Kagome rolled her eyes knowing what person that comment was directed towards. She said nothing to the group of girls that were staring at her as she walked by.

'_I wish she would go to another school, she needs to take a shower.'_

'_She stuffs major.'_

'_Have you even seen her, she's like… stupid.'_

'_I heard she was a…'_

Kagome turned her head wondering who they were talking about this time. Her eyes spotted a figure with ratted hair and clothing at a locker. She could only watch as the herd of girls walked over to her and shut the locker door while she was still using it. The girl stared forward a moment as they passed by, laughing amongst themselves before reaching down to open it again.

Among the things Kagome caught in the whispers of the hallway she found out that the girl had a nasty temper putting someone in the previous school in the hospital. Kagome didn't listen to things like that the girl seemed meek and quiet. She shrugged at the nonsense talk that went around the school.

"Kagome-san your grandfather explained everything to me." The principle rushed towards her wrapping her arms in a loose embrace. Was she… was she crying? Kagome was stunned before the woman un-wrapped her arms giving her a pitiful look. What the hell did her grandfather say? "You poor dear, you are taking the whole premature white hair so well."

"It's not prematurely grey!" Kagome had to keep her sanity before her grandfather gave it away like free pizza on a school night.

"I know how you feel. When I get a few strands of white I just wanted to dye the whole thing white, but I stuck to my natural color." She placed her hand on Kagome's shoulder, "I can give you the number to my stylist that can work wonders."

Kagome wanted to snap her fangs at her grandfather! She was so dumbfounded she took the stylists phone number stuffing it into her pocket just so she could be done with it. _'That's it my sanity's gone down the toilet.'_

Kagome walked into homeroom before the chime and watched as everyone turned towards her and stared. She nervously averted her gaze to her feet shifting the pack on her shoulder as she walked passed Eri and Yuki's desks. The two girls stopped talking to each other to stare at her.

"What happened to your hair Kagome?" Eri and Yuki stood up and pointed at her as though some squirrel just landed on her head.

Of course that was the million dollar question this morning.

"It… ugh… is prematurely grey." Kagome wanted to DIE saying those words.

"Was that during the weekend?" Eri reached out and took one of her strands. "It's been looking rather off since you got back I can't believe it would just turn grey overnight."

"Hey I saw black spray dye in your pack about a week ago." Yuki folded her arms, "You've been keeping your grey hair from us."

"It's embarrassing enough Yuki." And boy did she know it. Kagome nervously rubbed the back of her neck with a hand and the three girls stood in awkward silence.

Eri cleared her throat, "You didn't call last night to go over the next assignment."

"Oh… I'm caught up."

"Already, wow."

"Thanks for helping me." She smiled mutely. "I don't have to bother you guys anymore for this stuff I know I've been imposing since I got back and you have to think about your own studies and your own lives and we're in high school and that's hard… and here you are helping me out… and I'm sorry for that." That declaration caused both girls to stare at her wide eyed as Kagome used almost the same dialogue they did when they were complaining about having to help her when they thought she was out of earshot.

Eri looked away and Yuki looked down to her feet. "Goodbye Eri, goodbye Yuki." Kagome whispered before heading to her own desk the double meaning in that word was heavily set on her two friends that were still to awestruck to say anything to her. Each step felt like lead as she dropped her pack to the ground and sat. She set her elbows on the desk and rubbed her temples as she closed her eyes tightly trying not to cry.

Kagome had just ended her friendship. Maybe they'd call her, maybe Yuki would apologize and they could start over… but she honestly doubted that after having seen a dramatic change in her best friends. And did she even feel comfortable anymore after that outburst the other day? _'I guess only time could tell.'_

The teacher came into class and all the girls immediately swooned. He was a handsome younger man and by the absence of a ring on his left hand was terribly unmarried. He had dark features and slightly too long hair. She remembered the three girls would swoon over how he did his hair or what cologne he was wearing. It was too potent for Kagome's liking and she voiced that opinion quite frequently as she fought the urge to pinch her nose at his aftershave.

"Ok class, everyone take out a pencil its time for a pop quiz." The teacher walked in and froze mid stride to his desk to stare at her.

Kagome groaned out loud and lowered her head wishing she could crawl in a hole and die.

She had decided when returning to school she would do any make up work possible so she could graduate with her own class. It was hard considering how poorly her grades were since she had started going to the warring era to study for these sorts of tests. It was even harder to makeup the tests she had missed since being gone for months.

But she made a resolve and if Kagome was one thing it was utterly stubborn. All the while she felt the eyes of her classmates on her. Kagome heard the light shift in the air as someone turned and looked her way. She looked up finally and caught a young man's eyes and he blushed and looked away.

Kagome hadn't been too forthcoming to her friends when they asked about what illness had forced her grandfather to un-enroll her from school. Of course her grandfather had all sorts of diseases lined up with forged doctor's notes from some cousin of theirs in the mainland, something about pituitary spurt along with some skin disease and high fever that could account for her change in appearance and eye color.

So she was like a foreign object to them, something to look at and examine. Kagome didn't even want to imagine what they would do if they found out exactly what she had become. Would they turn her into some sort of test subject to be studied, poked and prodded? Kagome knew the hearts of humans she knew that they were easily frightened of things they did not understand. Demons weren't real this society turned away from the fantasy of their ancestors embracing technology and scientific explanations for everything.

She had white hair, fangs, elfish ears and claws. These were all things that she covered up with hair color, hair and filing her nails coloring them. Yet these little masks she had couldn't hide the fact she stuck out like a sore thumb, or maybe her demonic nature could manifest itself in other ways even she didn't know about. What would they do to her then? For the millionth time since her mother had brought up school Kagome questioned whether it was a good idea to even return at all.

'_It's for your future.'_ Her mother told her. Well she wasn't too keen envisioning her future in a cage being poked by needles. There was only so much she could hide people weren't that dumb to figure it out eventually.

She shivered realizing she was surrounded by humans.

And they were all staring at her.

As soon as the chimes went off she gathered her things and walked up to the teacher's desk earning a glare from several of the girls in the class. "Mr. Yamamoto I have a couple chapter's worth of work for you." She placed her pack on the desk and grabbed a stack of papers neatly stapled together placing them in the middle of his desk.

"Ah Higurashi." He put his glasses on and looked down at the stack flipping through the pages, "Wait a moment, does this mean you are caught up?"

"Yes sir." She had slaved over the makeup work for weeks on end. Last week she realized she couldn't ask Eri for help anymore so she just did it all on her own hoping she got some of the concepts along the way.

"I'll get these graded when I can, you need to makeup two tests and you'll be completely caught up." He gave her a charming smile. "How about staying late tonight?"

Kagome sighed accepting her fate with damn tests. She hated tests, she didn't always used to hate them this badly. Maybe it was the fact that Inuyasha hated them and never let her study in peace for them in the Sengoju Jidai so she eventually learned to hate them as well. It was then she realized what he had said and the obvious innuendo in his words laced with the spiciness of his scent that suddenly hiked. She narrowed her eyes at his devilishly charming smile not buying any of it today. "I can just do it in the library during lunch."

"Are you sure? It would be so much nicer to do it in peace here."

He stood up and in an overly slow motion ran his fingers through his hair. The action somehow reminded her of cologne commercials, in them though the men wore less clothing or their shirts were unbuttoned. She found herself actually taking a good look at him whatever possessed her to do such a thing clearly wasn't impeding her mind from drawing the oddest conclusions. _'He is lean and muscular therefore he is strong physically for a human, aside from the lecherous look he is a rather handsome man I would be lying if I said he wasn't. All in all… a possible human mate.'_ She blinked, reaching up to pinch the bridge of her nose squishing any of those fucked up thoughts from invading her mind. What was she thinking! "Mr. Yamamoto, I don't want to place any burden on you."

"Really… it would be my pleasure."

Kagome looked up to see him another step closer to her invading some very personal space. She wanted to squirm back but something inside seethed in anger, a rage she had never known. In a flash she caught his wandering hand that had been inching along the desk towards her thigh gripping it at the wrist. "Really, you don't have to."

His charming smile faded and his eyes widened in realization, she was hurting his wrist and he wasn't about to press the issue lest she snap his wrist entirely. His forehead felt hot and he began to sweat as his wrist was slowly being crushed by a teenager. "Well I can have that set up with one of the librarians."

Kagome smiled sweetly, "That would be perfect." She let go of his wrist and swung around walking out of the class. Before she stopped she threw over her shoulder, "It would be a shame if I wasn't equally graded as my peers." When she heard him gulp she walked out.

She was quite honestly through with perverts, through with little boys that didn't know what they wanted and especially through with baka's… and men in general. It was best for their sakes to just stay the hell away from her considering she had urges to… well. There were times she would wake up gripping the covers feeling completely empty, a sudden urge or want that burned like fire aside from the chaotic dreams. Then whenever she knew someone was interested in her, or felt a male aside from her brother or grandfather brush past her, or a man stare at her with obvious want or lust she had darker urges, not the lust filled nightmares that would make her blush but an indescribable anger that would have her taking cold showers to get over it. It was for this reason she was a bit glad that Hojou had Eri for a girlfriend, because even though she was serenaded by demon princes and human warlords alike she still sort of had a little crush on him.

She rubbed her temples walking along the hall dodging running into anyone she knew. She stopped at the cafeteria door looking inside. She spotted Ayumi, Eri and Yuki sitting down eating their lunch discussing various classes sometimes laughing amongst themselves. Kagome took a step back out of their vision when Hojou came up to the girls and Eri slid over so he could sit next to her. He smiled at the others and glanced around just briefly probably trying to find Kagome among them. When he turned his head her way Kagome turned around and walked out of the cafeteria into the halls.

Kagome wanted to go inside the lunchroom, she longed to sit down with her friends as before and swoon over boys and classes and giggle with her friends. Aside from her physical changes they changed as well. Would they be so mean and cruel if she wasn't so absent all the time? Kagome liked to think she had a bit of good influence on her friends but that's something not even time could tell. Even if she was Kagome the mortal girl as before she felt as though they would have still resented her, maybe they would have masked their disapproval of her better but what was the use of having empty friends. It was passed… she clapped her hands in front of her… that was all she could do about it. She was a demon now, she couldn't have friends anymore.

She longed for her life back, longed for her raven black hair and brown eyes. Kagome wanted to be short again she didn't like having to look down at people. She wanted things she just couldn't have anymore… things she should have had for the rest of her life.

'_You're a demon now… live with it.'_

It was all taken away because of a choice. Kagome chose to stay with Inuyasha, she tried to leave but even if he wouldn't allow her to return Kagome was stubborn enough to find a way to return home just like she kept finding a way to return to the past. Sango could have helped her plan her escape, even Miroku if he knew what had really been going on but Kagome had kept it to herself… she had allowed him to break her spirit, allowed him to darken her soul and allowed herself to fall into despair…

So why a demon?

Even she had no answer to that one. This was his wish not hers. She would have rather given in to the darkness than taken this form. From her grandfathers studies it says that demons can be born of strong emotions… so was this creature born from her sorrow using the body of someone that had been human? Kagome shook her head. No, she now carried Inuyasha's wish and it would be a constant reminder to her of how close she was to losing everything and everyone she held most dear for even a chance at his love.

And Kikyou's scar would be the reminder of how foolish she was to trust again.

Kagome wandered the deserted hallways at the top floor of the school and saw a door that was partly open. Kagome sniffed the air lightly finding the scent of grass she found out of place. She put her hand in the crack of the door and shoved it open lightly walking up the steps to the roof of the school.

Kagome stilled when she saw someone standing on the lip of the plaster roof. The girl was still as a statue her hands limp at her sides standing there with no shoes on and her hair a ragged mess staring out towards… something. Her dirty shoes and various books were resting neatly on the ground behind her.

It was that girl, the one people talk crap about.

There was something different about the girl, something she couldn't place. Maybe the girl stuck out like a sore thumb like Kagome.

It began to rain very lightly and Kagome could not hear her breathe. She began to feel nervous at how close she was to the edge of the school with her toes curled over the edge. Should she call out to her, no that would frighten the girl and Kagome didn't want her to fall over. Maybe she should just back away…

Kagome stilled when the girl looked over her shoulder through long strands of uncut hair and stared back at her. Her lips parted open when Kagome took a good look at her shell shocked at what she was seeing. She opened her mouth but nothing came out. _'Who is this girl?'_

"Go away." The girl muttered looking back to the city.

Kagome felt possessed walking towards the girl standing right behind her. The girl noticed and stiffened.

"You're one of them… the ones that talk shit aren't you?"

"No, I'm not." Kagome whispered. "I think you know that."

"Are you going to tell me to put my shoes on?"

Kagome blinked at the odd question. "Not unless you want to. You shouldn't be up here like that people will stare." The girl turned around looked her up and down and shrugged a shoulder looking back out to the city. _'It's like the pot calling the kettle black.'_

Kagome looked at the door wondering if she should just leave but she tentatively stepped forward and took a step up where the girl was standing. Kagome turned and looked out to the view of the city and smiled a bit at the thousands of buildings as far as the eye could see. Kagome's nose wrinkled when she smelled something foul in the air… "What the… you're smoking out here!"

The girl turned to look up at her with 'did you just figure that out' look. She took a deep puff before flicking the cigarette with two fingers out on the lower level roof. From the looks of the small pile it appeared she was a regular visitor up here. Kagome cringed at the smell.

The chime rung loudly echoing off the outer buildings and Kagome took a step back onto the ground of the roof. "Class will start soon."

"Sure it will."

"We should go back in don't you think?"

The girl turned her head fully and stared at Kagome in a way that made her nervous. She seemed mad and annoyed for a moment before letting out a sigh and getting off the edge of the roof sitting down to put her shoes on.

"Did they send you to get me?" She asked.

"No, I came up here to be alone." Kagome muttered.

"They didn't send you?"

Kagome shook her head, "No one sent me."

"So… I'm not in trouble?"

"Not that I know of." She let out a sigh of relief and stood up. Kagome was struck at how tiny she was, she was about a foot shorter than Kagome with a curvy generous figure that caught the jealous attentions of the girls in school calling into question 'other professions'. She watched as the girl gathered her books clutching them to her chest walking back into the school. Kagome hurried in and caught up to her. "Gomen I never told you my name. It's Higurashi Kagome." Kagome tried to smile despite the girl's appearance.

The girl nodded once and whispered her name a few times smiling at the sound of it. "Kagome, Kagome. I like your name it's in that nursery rhyme.

"Well… its nothing." Kagome felt silly feeling embarrassed about someone liking her name that much. No one ever said it right, or attempted to. Hell in the warring era she was always referred to as 'woman' or 'bitch' or even 'you' sometimes.

Kagome got off her little high of having someone really like her name. "Well you know mine, what's yours?"

The girl smiled broadly, "Kikyou…. just Kikyou."


	12. Twelve

_**Chapter 12) In a Name.**_

'_Kikyou… just Kikyou.'_

After a week Kagome still didn't like her name as much as Kikyou liked hers.

She closed her eyes and let out a sigh as she rolled onto her side in her small bed wrapping the covers around like a burrito. She wanted to kick the covers off and wander about the house because she had the serious case of insomnia. She could go study for her last makeup test but she was being stubborn and didn't want to… plus she had been completely distracted. So she shoved her books around and went to bed tossing about.

Kagome glared at the moon outside and rolled violently around so she didn't have to stare at it. She wanted to be mad at something and the moon was fair game. She felt like the gods plaything… a toy to be used at their whims.

It should have been a red flag to her to pursue Inuyasha's affections after the way Naraku had deceived Inuyasha and Kikyou. But it didn't take Naraku to have Inuyasha turn against Kagome just at the thought of being with his former object of affection. This time Kagome did die but the gods wouldn't let her! And now that she was ridiculously demon trying to piece her life back together to what it formally was suddenly here comes someone that not only looks like Kikyou who happened to look just like her when she was human but she even carried her former incarnates name.

Kagome growled as she covered her face with her pillow.

The irony of it all! She was a pitiable thing was she not? Kagome chewed on her pillow as she kicked off the covers and began pacing her room like some sort of caged creature.

Kagome stood at her window and sulked. Her eyes caught the god tree and she glared at it before she shut the heavy curtains.

Morning came and she was almost glad she heard everyone starting to wake up so she could get up herself. She would have wandered downstairs to watch some TV but not too long ago Souta stumbled into her when he was trying to sneak food one night and he screamed out like a little girl half his age. So she kept herself either confined in her own room studying or outside in the outer courtyards.

Kagome stared at the schools address book tapping her claw on the name Chang, Kikyou. Kagome had somewhat formed a friendship with the misunderstood girl. Kagome just sort of hung around her while Kikyou invented interesting places to go steal a smoke. Again she sighed miserably, she had tried to not let it bother her but it did and Kikyou sure knew that something about her name bothered Kagome because during those times she would make herself scarce.

Yesterday had been like that. A teacher had stopped the both of them because they had snuck back in after her five minute smoke break between classes. As she was berating Kagome the teacher turned to look and Kikyou was gone. For the rest of the day Kagome couldn't even find her. Perhaps she was being prejudice without really knowing her. _'It's not like this Kikyou is__** the**__ Kikyou.' _She ran a hand through her stark white hair and tucked it behind a tipped ear. "Maybe I should just explain it."

Yes, that would be it. She'd explain that Kikyou was the name of her lover's former undead girlfriend that had tried to kill her and use her body to fuse her soul into. Kagome was sure the girl's response would be, _'Here's fifty yen go find a cab to the hospital.'_

Still she was being unfair and if nothing else Kikyou just felt comfortable to be around. Kikyou didn't care what others thought of her or sometimes even what they did to her. Kikyou didn't care if Kagome tagged along as long as she didn't tell her to put her shoes back on. And never once did Kikyou ask questions. Even if the girl didn't care, it felt sort of nice.

The phone number was busy for nearly an hour. Kagome wrote the address on a piece of paper and stuffed it into her pocket. Should she risk going out? Kagome had gone out on her own several times after her return but she didn't feel comfortable in the slightest and had wanted to just come home and stuff her head under a pillow.

Maybe she should stop worrying about it and wait for Monday when school started to try and get to know Kikyou better.

Or maybe she was just fretting over a damn name.

"Kagome I am so close!"

Kagome was so deep in thought her grandfather's exclamation startled her as the aged priest leapt into the kitchen waving some old musky book in his hands. He had never snuck up on her so suddenly before. She put a hand to her chest calming the sudden urge to leap up like a cat.

He danced around a bit talking about something he happened across she didn't understand before leaping out of the kitchen in the same fantastical order in which he came in.

Her mouth hung open and she could only stare as she sat back down.

"You're up early dear." Mrs. Higurashi walked into the kitchen and tied an apron around her waist. She leaned over and kissed Kagome on her head. "I wonder what your grandfather is up to."

Kagome shrugged and stood up finishing the last of her cereal. "You'd better keep an eye on him mama."

"Oh Kagome." Mrs. Higurashi smiled at her daughter.

"I'm serious whenever he has that look in his face you know its trouble!"

"Don't be obtuse dear." Akiko began washing dishes. "What are you going to do on your day off?" She wondered especially seeing Kagome dressed and ready to go out.

"I dunno… I guess wander a bit. I kind of want to take up running." She tugged at her long running pants and hello kitty sweatshirt. "Maybe coach can let me in late in the season."

"Wouldn't that be cheating?" Souta came into the kitchen still in his airplane pajamas rubbing his eyes with a fist.

"Demons can get tired… just not as much as little annoying brothers that snore."

"I don't snore!" Souta cried out.

"Yes you do I can totally hear you." Kagome leapt backwards when Souta swung a living room pillow at her missing her entirely. She stuck her tongue out at Souta before pulling a white beanie over her ears and stuffing her feet in her shoes walking out the door.

After she left Souta wandered back to his mom, "You think it's' okay for her to go outside?"

"Kagome's got to learn to live with herself just as much as we have to learn to live with her now."

"I guess you're right, and she can probably take care of herself now."

"Speaking of taking care of yourself..." She put her fists on her hips staring down at her son with messy hair and crumbs on his pajamas.

Souta rolled his eyes at her look, "Fine I'll take a shower."

Akiko smiled at her son shooing him up the stairs to change glad that Kagome was out so she could get started on chores.

* * *

This actually made her feel better. Kagome wondered why she never took up jogging before. She felt free and unrestrained. She seriously had to stretch her legs after being at home almost every day since she got back from the Sengoku Jidai.

She ran through the neighborhoods and even boldly leapt over fences. Kagome even once got chased by a dog and laughed as she out ran the poor mutt who just couldn't keep up with her. He gave her a warning bark and Kagome laughed with glee.

When she stopped she took in a much needed breath surprised she didn't even break a sweat… nor felt tired at all. Her legs felt tingly never been used to this extent before and she decided right then and there she was going to try out for cross country at school.

Kagome looked around as she took a piece of paper out of her pocket and glanced at the address making sure she was on the right street. She kept on walking and the streets became narrow and crowded. The street actually ended and was more like an alley with paved ground. There were tiny stores with cramped apartments stacked above them. There were a few open market vendors selling odd things in jars and Kagome had to hold her nose a few times at the stench. Sake stands and noodle carts surrounded her. Electric poles with dangling wires draped overhead and various people were yelling, trying to sell their goods and just talking too loud. She felt quite claustrophobic already and she ducked under a man walking with a stack of long bamboo hoisted over a shoulder.

She went deeper into the market where stores were replaced with bars and sake stands and 'gentleman's clubs'. The crowd was not as dense but the people there felt… dark. She was uncomfortable when a scantily clad woman in thigh high boots and mini skirt stared at her asking her if she was lost. Kagome showed her the address and the lady pointed even further down the street. Kagome stopped at a thin narrow door between a fish supplier and a sake bar staring at the mossy 'tea house' sign that was dangling above. She held up her hand and knocked. "Gomen ne." She was stunned when a girl younger than herself wrapped in a thin kimono that was falling off her shoulders answered the door. She wore too much makeup imitating a geisha holding a long cigarette in hand. The girl eyed her with distaste staring at her like _'what the hell are you doing here?'_ Kagome had to fight to keep from covering her nose at the stench of perfume and _'other'_ smells coming from this girl and from upstairs. Still she bowed. "I was looking for Kikyou, I'm from her school."

"School eh?" The woman eyed her a bit before turning around and yelling up the thin steep steps, "KIKYOU!"

Several young teen girls some even preteen with overly exaggerated makeup and in dirty worn kimono's looked down from the top of the steps. When Kikyou finally emerged she was dressed in the same thing as the others were wearing in the same makeup as the rest. She took one look at Kagome and her eyes widened.

Kagome blinked before taking a step back away from what she was looking at._ 'Oh my gods.'_

Kikyou rushed down the steps and reached out grabbing her arm in a vise grip, "Stay." Deep colored eyes stared at her sternly and Kagome couldn't help but do as she told her to. She nodded and waited outside in the street as Kikyou went upstairs for several minutes before she emerged in clothing that both rank and looked obviously male that hung off her small frame oddly. The two of them walked down the street, Kagome nervously folding her arms and rubbing her hand behind her neck as Kikyou merely walked calmly, hands in pockets to whatever destination they arrived at. There was an old park with dead grass and old rusted children's play set that was more of a death trap than something kids would play in.

The two girls sat down on a park bench and just stared at the skies neither of them having spoken anything. Kagome didn't like the silence especially when there was something hanging in the air between them. She cleared her throat suddenly wondering why she was so thirsty.

"Don't walk on pins and needles Kagome."

"Don't you have a home?" She started.

"That is home."

"Parents?" Kikyou shook her head. "Do you want me to call an agency or something?" Kikyou snorted. They were once again in silence and after worrying her bottom lip Kagome finally broke the silence, "I'm so sorry Kikyou, I didn't know… I would never have…" She saw Kikyou give her a ghost of a smile. She had never seen Kikyou give someone her full attention let alone a facial reaction with it.

"You're actually not that surprised to see me there."

Kagome opened her mouth and subsequently closed it when Kikyou gave her a full blown smile. Kikyou was right.

"I think you already knew that I was a whore."

She blushed, Kagome simply blushed.

Kikyou looked up into the sky, "Do you wish to save my soul Kagome? Do you really think you can fix me or help me?" She shook her head, "You didn't come here because you wanted to see me. You look like someone who came here for selfish answers."

Kagome opened her mouth in pure shock. Someone had said almost the exact same thing to her years ago, that someone was, "Kikyou." Kikyou's dark eyes turned to her, though her face was dirty and smeared along the edges with white facial makeup there was something deep and ancient in her eyes that bespoke great wisdom, it was the look Kikyou of the past would give her whenever Kikyou would actually acknowledge her. Was this girl the reincarnation of Kikyou? Kagome didn't have all of Kikyou's soul there was always that little piece that she kept, that overwhelming hatred for Inuyasha, that anger and spite...

… was she… Kikyou?

"I'm an orphan, always have been. I sneak money to go to school, whatever rumor you heard is probably true… but that's not the answers you're looking for."

Kagome sighed in utter defeat. Kikyou was right she didn't come here for her she came to confirm her own suspicions. It was just too awful and she couldn't ignore it. Kagome wasn't blind to the evils of life even in this era there were human atrocities that are unmatched to the warring era. Humans may have evolved but so had their torture methods. She had taken advantage of her life, she had a comfortable home with a loving family, Kagome knew some weren't so lucky. Unwanted girls were put to that type of work earlier than Kikyou's age. It was just shocking to see it first hand to someone she knew. What was even more shocking was the fact that this was Kikyou, someone who even looked like herself and the priestess before her. This Kikyou could very well be her reincarnation. It made her nauseous and sick.

"So what was it you really came for?"

"I don't know really." Kagome wasn't lying about that. Speculation swirled in her mind but paradoxes, time and dimensions swirled around the mix as well creating more chaos than her life already was. There were too many 'if's' in this equation and not enough fact. For all she knew this was probably some major coincidence.

"You have more secrets than me Kagome." Kikyou stood up brushing the dust off the oversized shirt.

Kagome looked up to Kikyou, "It's complicated."

She shrugged, "You're friends assessment of me isn't entirely accurate. I'm not_**that**_ stupid."

"Trust me they're not my friends." Kagome wrapped her arms around her knees and leaned her chin onto her arms, "I just wanted a normal life."

"Shit happens Kagome. The value of our being is how we're able to lift ourselves up after we fall into the shit and what we do with the shit now that we have the shit." She thought for a moment, "I think that's some Buddhist proverb."

"If it isn't it should be." Kagome grinned and a random thought came into her mind. "You ever thought about being a shrine maiden?"

"I'm a whore Kagome, not a saint."

Kagome didn't like the imagery, this wasn't the battle hardened Kikyou she knew from the past this was a scared girl with no family and no home and no friends… well at least she could try and do something about it. She took her hand and stood up taking the tiny woman with her, "Come on."

Kikyou allowed Kagome to lead her around without resistance. After awhile she thought to ask, "Where are we going?"

"Home."

* * *

"You're lucky we still had some of Kagome's clothes from when she was younger." Mrs. Higurashi smiled as she entered the bath setting some folded clothes in the corner of the bath. She stared at the young girl with a smile before slipping out of the room and sliding the door shut. She found Kagome sitting at the top of the stairs staring across the room to the family photo. "We'll get a new one soon."

"Huh?" Kagome shook her head wondering what her mom was talking about.

"I scheduled an appointment for a photo shoot of the family."

Kagome looked up at her mom knowing she had a zillion questions pertaining to Kikyou like who was she and where did she come from or the biggest one 'why does she look like you?' but instead her mind was focused on the family photo? She shook her head and in an undignified stare she said, "Guh?"

Akiko sat down beside her daughter and wrapped an arm around her shoulder, "I'm so very proud of you Kagome." Even with all she had gone through in her life Kagome was always willing to help someone out, "You're a good friend."

"I wish I had some to show for it." Kagome whispered.

"I remember Aunt Kira wanted to take in a foster child, I'll see if she ever did." Mrs. Higurashi stood up and kissed her daughter on the crown of her head before walking down the steps.

Kagome turned her head at the sound of the door cracking open and she watched Kikyou peek out looking around before looking down at her, as soon as she spotted her she opened the door and stepped out in a black skirt and white sweater Kagome had grown out of after her last return from the warring era. Kagome stood up watching Kikyou towel her damp hair, "Feel better?"

"I'm still not going to thank you." Kikyou muttered. "You're still looking for…" Kikyou went quiet as she found something on the wall and stared at it.

"You know, somehow I already knew you weren't ever going to thank me." Kagome chuckled and then turned to see what Kikyou was staring at. It was the old family photo her mother was trying to replace with the new one. She still remembered when this one was taken, Souta was six years old and she was thirteen, awkward and skinny like all preteens are. She watched Kikyou walk down the stairs and stand directly in front of the photo staring silently at it. Kagome opened her mouth to say something but decided against it. There was something she wanted from Kikyou, answers for her own sake not for Kikyou's. She would put up with never getting a 'thanks' out of the deal, after all this was Kikyou… perhaps the very same one that wouldn't thank her for saving Kikyou's life from the miasma.

They say that order is begat from chaos.

They also say that life is a full circle that you end exactly where you begin and you begin where you'll eventually end.

Everyone is a player in the stage called 'life.' And once you stop looking so feverishly at your own you turn around and see that all the other lives around have weaved through yours sometimes unknowingly into a giant fabric that fate herself has woven.

It is said that if you take all the shot up street signs you'll end with the entire works of Shakespeare in Braille.

From chaos to order.

Full circle indeed.

"Who is that?" Kikyou finally whispered.

"That's me."


	13. Thirteen

_**Chapter 13) Destitute**_

His name was Shiro, Okaru.

Graduate of a prestigious Chinese business university he had received his doctorate at an astoundingly young age. Shiro had been hired straight out of school to come to Japan to lead the overseeing of the restructure of one of Japan's most influential financial corporations. He worked for one before it was merged into another there he stood at the top of global finance enjoying his solitude and large office at the top of the building as a junior executive. His office had all the comforts, a bar, a miniature golf set, a beautiful secretary, a wall of diploma's not to mention his car… he had a sweet ride.

Not many his age had such a life!

It was not to last for long. Quite suddenly the whole entire company was purchased by one of the biggest companies in Japan and most of the East Asian market.

Now his office was not at the top of the glass building… nor was it in the middle but down to one of the lowest positions the company had in short of mail clerk. He was reduced in rank so miserably that he wished he had never gotten into business! At least he was not the only to share in the shame. All ten heads of staff were reduced as low as he had been. The shareholders had been bought out and half the company was fired. Within half a year he was the only one of the original staff who had not quit.

When the company started to begin the merger he boldly applied. His application was denied. He was further shocked and surprised to find out the company he was working for would be merely dissolved away completely as though it was just an insignificant bug. All his hard work for nothing!

So here he was… running errands for one of the office managers who had been under another office manager who had been under yet another. He was reduced to what an intern should be doing and making damn near almost what an intern makes. He sold his car, had to give up his lush apartment… his girlfriend had dumped him… life sucked in Japan.

"Mr. Shiro, you're going to be late." His boss called out to him pointing to his watch.

Shiro rushed through the office corridors then up the cold steel elevators, file in hand before straightening his suit. The secretary at the office had once been his and the pretty girl stood up bowing before helping him fix his tie and dust off his suit.

"He is not in good spirits today sir."

Shiro let out a sigh. "I'm only here to drop off reports."

"But he asked you to drop them off in person he could have had me do it."

She was right. That meant the big boss finally wanted to see him. "What's he like?" He couldn't help but ask.

"Quiet. He's either in his office or not, I've never been called in." She let out a sigh, "What a pity and he's so handsome too…"

"Ok okay…" Last thing he wanted was to hear how much better someone was. Shiro held his breath as he opened the door and walked in calmly. The office that had once been his had been remodeled and the rest of the offices were being knocked out. It seems the company owner doesn't share power with anyone. Everything was gone, the mini golf, the bar… everything.

It was all black, dark and dreary lined with steel walls. The lighting was low and the windows were darkly tinted. There were pinpoints of lights over some randomly dark paintings and the massive desk at the end of the glass wall facing south. Someone sat at the desk that had once been his, shadow cast over his features patiently waiting for him. Shiro could feel his eyes on him.

He gulped wondering why the hairs on the back of his neck had suddenly raised. He wasted no time coming forward and formally bowing although the honor had not been reciprocated even with a nod.

"These are the reports for today Nandeska-sama." Shiro took a step forward and rested the file on the edge of the desk finally catching first glimpse of the infamous Nandeska himself. His elbows were on the table and fingers were steepled as his haze almost copper eyes stared intently at him.

Shiro was stunned at how young the corporate leader was! The head of the entire company sat before him and if he was to take a guess the man was perhaps five years his senior. The thought comforted him very little. Nandeska, Maru kept eyeing him as though he was the lowest scum of the earth and Shiro shivered wondering for the fifth time since he opened the doors why exactly he was here. In comparison he felt downright inferior to this beau of a man that probably had no trouble snapping his fingers and getting any woman in the world as his bed partner, including his ex girlfriend and the secretary outside that had once been his. Nandeska looked something out of those bishounen magazines his ex girlfriend would swoon over keeping under her bed for some 'intimate alone time.' The man had sharp features though delicately carved, high cheekbones and pale skin. His thick long black hair was pulled back in a ponytail with long messy bangs parted on either side of his face.

Shiro knew very little about the current man behind the monster of a company, the fortune of Japan rested on this successor to the family company. Nandeska's father he heard was a tyrant tycoon and brilliant strategist and before he placed the company on the shoulders of his son quite suddenly before he died in an airplane crash along with his mother, he landed Japan's military contract as well as a few other countries. Nandeska Maru had began his legacy by funding projects on the international space station and buying twenty satellites before renting them to the military networks… it was a family of brilliant businessmen.

It had been his dream to work for this sort of company… but standing right here right now in front of Nandeska himself… he felt incredibly small.

Shiro took a step back once again the shadow masked the man's face. Yet he stayed a second in the awkward silence before he felt the courage to ask, "Is there anything else I can do for you Nandeska-sama?"

Out of the silence a thunderous deep, "Stay here" emanated from around him. He felt like falling to the ground but nervously took several steps back. Shiro wanted nothing more than to leave! He'd quit today and find himself a job flipping burgers at WacDonalds than stay in this room a second longer. He watched as the CEO's hands reached out for the report flipping it open with a manicured oddly long nail before his shadowed head leaned down a tiny bit to read the projected estimates he had come up with. Shiro had been working on them since his demotion… he didn't know why he stayed here really or why he even took on this pet project but as soon as the upper management found out he was working on them he was quite suddenly called up here. For what reason, he had no idea. After an excruciating ten minutes Maru shut the manila and with a brush of his hand set it aside.

"You are the last of the original heads of staff." He asked.

"I believe so."

"You do not quit."

Shiro shook his head, "I… I have not yet unless that is the reason for my demotion. Then that is what I will do."

"Do you run marathons…" Nandeska looked down at a piece of paper in front of him to find his name, "…Shiro? Is this a test of some irrational notion of endurance or self masochism?" When the young man said nothing he went on, "It seems to me you have a foolish notion of standing behind a company that demoted you and severed your pay and retirement. For what reason?"

"I invested time into it. My restructure caused a gain…"

"It was enough of a gain to have another company wish merger or leeching off of your former company."

Shiro shook his head wondering why he was talking to him like he owned the first two companies. "But we restructured again with a significant gain!"

"And then you sold out."

"Nandeska-sama… this is not my company and those were not my decisions." He swore the man smiled in the darkness and he was glad he could not see it. "But my work is…"

"A foolhardy attempt in a field you are novice in."

Shiro shut up and stared wide eyed never having someone call him or his work nothing short of brilliant. Nandeska said nothing, just stared at him for a moment seemingly waiting for him to say something. "I then offer my resignation."

Nandeska made a '_tisk'_ noise from the back of his throat. "That was entirely too easy, do not sell yourself out as quickly as this company did. You people are fond of choices are you not?" He didn't wait for Shiro to answer. "You will be presented two. You may go ahead with your resignation and leave now heading back to China in shame working some miniscule task that you have been doing here for me these past few weeks…"

Shiro gulped. He could try and get work elsewhere but if this man was intent on ruining his life he would have no chance in hell here or China. Maybe in America but…

"… or you can run operations for me here heading the entire Tokyo district answering only to me."

Shiro blinked.

"The work is hard, the hours are long and you will wish you had returned to China. Should you remain I expect my employees to work not bask in idleness, if one point in performance drops their mistake becomes yours and I will return and deal with you myself. Now go clear out your office and make your choice." Nandeska waved his hand nonchalantly and leaned back in his seat.

"If I stay… I'll head your Tokyo division?"

Nandeska leaned forward as the lights cast a devilish shadow on his pale face, "I do not make a point of repeating myself."

Shiro bowed almost hitting his head on the ground and rushing out the door but slowing down before he rammed into them.

Nandeska closed his eyes thankful the nervous runt left. He had been here in Tokyo long enough overseeing this buyout personally. He sneered at the mess of a company that he had gotten loading the same amount of work on half the staff and having it done more efficiently. This was easier than buying a building and hiring new staff not to mention it was nefariously sinister and the thought put him in a good mood.

Standing out of the plush leather chair he stood up towering over his massive desk not sparing a glance at the files he had on the table in front of him. The work done was nothing short of brilliant but he would never tell him such a thing. He didn't even need to see the file his aim was to see Shiro's character first hand. The fact he was easily manipulated and had no spine was good enough.

This young man was a good asset to the company but had become lazy after the merger. He hoped this little test of fortitude was enough to teach him not to waste time. In any case he had someone who would last him a great deal of time heading Tokyo with very little cost and time to retrain. His stay here would be short now, he would be returning to Kyoto in less than a month now.

"Nandeska-sama you have a phone call."

"I asked not to be disturbed." He depressed the button sneering at the secretary's scratchy voice. He straightened his dark Armani suit wrapping a pale scarf around his neck before shrugging a coat over his shoulders.

He looked out over the city at the towering skyscrapers and skyline of Tokyo. _'Long ago this place used to be a forest… so they say.'_ It would be hard to begin to imagine the scenery it had once been now that it was tainted with enormous buildings and toxins saturating the air.

'_A forest in Tokyo? I'd believe that no sooner than I would believe those tales about demons.' _His lip twitched upwards before he stared at the reflection of himself in the dark window and frowned. A trick of the overhead light and shadow caused his ink hair to appear white. He frowned at a smudge of something in the middle of his forehead. _'That again?' _He frowned taking a step back from the window and stood in the shadow as his reflection muffled into darkness. Reaching up he rubbed his forehead with his fingertips feeling the smooth skin bare of any odd marks. He slipped a pair of dark glasses on and turned around, long ink hair flowing around with his movements.

"Nandeska-sama you have several messages."

"They were insignificant you have no need to read them to me." He muttered under his breath as he walked out of his office. The secretary was at his heels apparently not listening to him.

"Mr. Asakura of the South District extends his invitation personally to dinner."

"I do not want to buy his company I already bought this one." He muttered as they got in the elevator and he pressed a button a bit too forcefully with a finger.

She kept on rambling about whatever she had on her scratch paper while he closed his eyes wishing he could just throw her out of a 60 story building. Unfortunately this building was only 55 and he did not have the patience to add five more floors nor did he want to wait the time for them to do such. Her voice echoed off the walls and he closed his eyes in subtle irritation.

"A Miss Seraphina of Greece kept calling until I assured her you were not to be disturbed." The girl waved her hand about, "She insisted she was your girlfriend but I did not buy that an instant."

"Finally something wise coming from your lips."

"Of course she wasn't your girlfriend the tabloids say you're 100% single without a hitch."

"For good reason." Maru frowned wondering what that woman wanted that she would plaster false stories about. She was not even a one night stand or a second thought.

"I don't know Nandeska-sama's itinerary or personnel files to see who I trust and who I shouldn't. In fact should I be doing anything for you Nandeska-sama… finding you a restaurant, a tea house a Madame?" She did not even see his odd _'what the fuck are you talking about'_ stare her way as she kept going on. "I even took a course in massage therapy I'm sure you didn't know that but I did and I'm offering. Well back to my original question should I get to know you better so I don't have to guess who I can snub and who I can actually say you are here or not?" She finally ended her tirade in a question.

The elevator door opened and Maru got off grateful that the ride was over and she shut up. He walked out and turned around to stare at the pretty young girl that was far too annoying than anything he had the displeasure of meeting, "I will not be here long enough for you to get to know me and neither will you."

Her eyes widened and she took a step back into the elevator as the doors closed shutting her in. He felt like grinning as he turned around and walked into the cement garage that was pristine and well lit.

A valet had his car waiting. The valet bowed and opened the door of his dark silver topless sports car and it swung vertically so he could get in. Maru sat at the driver's seat and with the twist of his wrist the muscled engine roared to life…

There was something about taking control of something powerful, not just the companies and contracts that made him both revered and feared among the other corporate heads, or this car and its sleek design and its insane speed but to be at the top of the world riding faster than anyone or anything on the planet.

This company gave him that edge in life, that thrill he couldn't get the faster he drove or the more women he slept with. His father was a complete fool and he could keep his swords, this power to own everything and everyone by buying them out with flimsy paper was far superior. He could be denied nothing and he succeeded in surpassing his father.

Life was good.

He blinked when he stopped at the Tokyo bumper to bumper traffic he was certainly going to be stuck in for the next few hours.

He sighed, perhaps there wasn't everything he could buy.

* * *

Life was good.

She loved the speed, she didn't used to but it was a bit addicting now.

Kagome ran so fast the trees were nothing but a blur to her.

She was so glad she signed up for track! Cross country was SO her. It got her away from the perverted guys in physical education onto the track which was virtually abandoned all day not to mention if she was good enough she could even get scholarships for college! She'd already won two timed races for the five kilometer and Kagome hadn't even broken a sweat doing that!

Kagome leapt over the fence landing gracefully to the ground before hurdling over a hedge. She had been running for hours now and she just couldn't stop, she didn't want to stop. It was so exhilarating that she did not even notice the transition between city and forest.

The smells suddenly became unfamiliar and she slowed down realizing she was in a small clearing in a dense forest. "Huh?" Kagome walked towards a tree and placed her hand on the bark of a tree, "Where am I?"

She blinked when she saw rounded nails instead of finely tipped claws. Kagome looked down at herself realizing she was wearing the red and white garbs of a miko. Her hands went to her ears, smooth and round. She grabbed her hair and stared at wavy ink black hair. "I'm not a demon?" Her dulled sense of hearing ears picked up the sound of heavy breathing and panting nearby and her heart jumped a beat frightened at being in such a place in such a vulnerable state.

"It can't be." She raised her hand and brushed aside the foliage as her eyes widened to the sight. Against the backdrop of glowing shimi dama chuu that were noiselessly floating around the massive trunk of the Goshinboku laid Inuyasha and Kikyou together in an intimate embrace. "Is this SOMEONES IDEA OF A SICK JOKE?"

Golden eyes looked up, first interrupted at her intrusion then upset for the interruption, "I told you not to leave without my permission."

Kagome raised her hands in defense as he stood up cornering her against a tree. Kikyou stood behind him tying the top of her white haori glancing smugly at her. Inuyasha reached out gripping her neck almost crushing it in a vise.

'_I remember… I died that night…'_ Kagome stared into his hardened gold eyes as tears pooled in her eyes. She still loved him, damn it what was wrong with her! "How could you?" She asked in a hushed whispered before Inuyasha slammed her hard against the trunk of the tree knocking the wind out of her.

"We'll always be together… forever…" Inuyasha whispered his voice shallow and devoid of emotions.

'_If that's what you want.'_ Kagome gave him a rueful smile. _'But it still hurts.'_

Kikyou stared at her from beside Inuyasha placing her hand on his shoulder, "Don't worry Kagome, you and I will both have what we want."

"I can't hate you…" She muttered miserably. "…I just can't."

A sardonic laugh made itself known in the clearing and a deep airy sad voice, cold and icy it whispered softly, "It is okay to hate them Kagome. You out of anyone have the right to hate them… hate _him._"

Kagome blinked at the voice that encircled them all but noticed Kikyou and Inuyasha had frozen in place, their actions stilled. From the darkness came forward another being into the light, porcelain, sad and beautiful. Deep icy ocean eyes on a pale white face surrounded by silver hair stared at her. She had a regal looking face with prominent silver and white coloring splayed beautifully across her pale face, the only hint of natural human coloring was a light pale blush along her high cheekbone. The demoness stared at her with ice colored eyes that Kagome had seen in the mirror every day since Kikyou had killed her. "I… I can't."

The demoness looked around to the setting taking every little piece of scenery to memory, "Kikyou died frozen in a state so similar to this, betrayed by the man she loved."

"But Naraku… he set them up!"

Her icy eyes snapped back at her, "And what's Inuyasha's excuse for what he did to you?"

Kagome closed her eyes as tears trailed down her cheeks, the actions of Inuyasha and Kikyou frozen as Kagome and her demonic self had their interlude.

"You can't move from this moment, can you? Just like Kikyou, you're in a perpetual state of limbo."

"I have moved on!" Kagome called on her own defense.

"Yet you return here to this place and time whenever you close your eyes."

Kagome blinked wondering what she meant by that. She put her hands to her neck where Inuyasha was still restraining her. "I've lived, I've moved on!"

"You've lived huh?" The demoness raised her hand cracking her knuckles as her claws gleamed in the light and her hollow eyes went from ice blue to scarlet, "Yet you're denying what you really are, what you're capable of doing."

"NO, don't do this!"

"Look deeply into the eyes of the man who is about to kill you, is your sacrifice in vain for his desire, his wants?" The demoness glared at her, "STOP DENYING WHO YOU ARE!"

"I SAID STOP!"

Something inside Kagome snapped like a rubber band that had been held for too long beyond its limits. A raging heat welled from deep within as fire coursed through her veins. Kagome clenched her fists until trickles of blood dripped to the ground.

A low growl resonated from the back of her throat dangerously wild. What she thought was raging heat in her body grew in intensity quickly spreading like wildfire. The widened surprised eyes of Kikyou and Inuaysha were the last thing she saw before she blacked out. Kagome didn't know what she had done until she was left overlooking the devastation afterwards.

Kagome's breath left her body seeing the decimated bodies of Inuyasha and Kikyou, mutilated beyond recognition other than pieces of their clothing. Blood was spilled, splattered everywhere on the trees and forest floor yet amidst the carnage the forest still gleamed with life, birds and butterflies fluttering about. "What have I done?" She asked in fright as she looked down at her hands.

Her hands were completely saturated with blood her dull human fingernails had oozy material underneath…

She felt a hand resting on her head and looked up to see the demoness giving her a look of such pity. The beautiful woman knelt down before her, taking her chin in her hands forcing her to look into her sad eyes, "Stop denying what you are, we're one and the same. Embrace this." The demoness leaned down and rested her lips on Kagome's forehead. Kagome closed her eyes at the coldness of her lips against her skin as the images around her began to blur and fade away.

'_Hate them… hate him.'_

Kagome sharply inhaled as her eyes snapped open. She sat up in her bed panting heavily as she put her hand to her throat. "Oh my gods." She whispered running a shaky hand through her damp hair.

Her hands…

She quickly thrust her hands forward looking down at them from the low light of the moon. They were white and clean, no blood. A sense of great relief rushed through her veins like ice. She sighed wrapping her arms around herself rocking back and forth on her bed.

…well, what was left of her bed.

Now it was a clawed mess of torn blankets and feathers from what used to be a pillow. Kagome knew she would have to owe her mother an explanation as a stray feather fluttered to the ground.

She got out of bed running her talons through her hair, after splashing cold water on her face Kagome carefully walked down the stairs and snuck into the kitchen. She cracked the fridge door open and peered inside before shutting it quickly.

"Ok, dumpling leftovers to the right. I can do this." She inhaled deeply closing her eyes using one hand to pinch her nose before opening the door and with lightning speed grabbed her intended target, ran out the door and leapt onto the shed. Kagome didn't even remember eating them all, what was left in her hands was what used to be a plastic container.

She tossed it aside, "Indestructible my ass."

Kagome stood up and stretched her arms upwards until she felt a small crick in her back before scratching her side looking up to the sliver of moon. She folded her arms and just stared at the crescent as she stood on the roof of the shed for a long time. She finally raised a hand up and traced its outline in the sky with her index finger. She unconsciously rubbed her forehead with the pads of her fingers. She realized what she just did and dropped her hand to the side as her eyes widened imperceptivity when a forbidden thought crossed her mind.

'_Miko, if I ever see you or Inuyasha again next time we meet I will kill the both of you.'_

She had not thought about that night, or him, or what… they did in a very long time. Due to the massive adjustment in her life it actually felt like five hundred years in the past rather than a drop in the well.

She wondered if Sesshoumaru would have actually gone through with his threat to her and Inuyasha. Kagome was certain the tai did not speak to hear himself. She wondered why on earth he would ever give such a threat to begin with. What reason could he give to hate not just Inuyasha of whom she thought he had begun to tolerate before but Kagome as well? His reasoning was his own but still yet it struck her odd he would say such a thing to her, scratch that… return to the village after he had already left, warned her of her partnering with Inuyasha, kissing her madly, then threatening her.

None of anything made sense anymore and she began to question everything she had gone through in the past. If she didn't have the scar and demonic blood to show for it Kagome would have rationalized herself into believing the trips into the past never existed, that it was all a figment of her imagination, that the moon doesn't haunt her… that she was still human.

'_Is the 'me' in my dreams correct, when I died did I remain locked in that moment?'_

If that was true she would be no different than Kikyou, living in a moment of desperation and hatred. But she wasn't Kikyou.

"I just can't hate him."

She bowed her head and wept softly into the night.

* * *

"**HENTAI BASTARD, GO TAKE A FUCKING COLD SHOWER!"**

Kagome had been too preoccupied with last night's morbid nightmare that she was caught completely off guard unaware Kikyou had gone into full battle mode. While she was zoned out Kikyou had taken a rather large chemistry book and cracked some poor boy's skull with it. After the initial shock Kagome found herself against a locker across the hallway and let out an aggravated sigh when she realized she had impaled the metal lockers with her claws. After yanking her hand out she sheepishly stood in front of the crescent holes so that no one would see, well no one was paying attention to her, everyone's eyes were on the petite raven haired woman with a large book.

Apparently the chemistry book was wrong there was no chemistry in this situation at all.

After it ended and everyone began to go about their ways as normal Kikyou lowered her book and became as docile as a sleeping kitten meekly walking beside Kagome as though nothing happened. After that encounter Kagome had to ask, "What did he do?" She didn't even know what the boy had done to switch off her friends' usual passive mood into something close to aggravated assault. That sort of behavior was something she'd peg herself having the ol' Higurashi temper her father was notorious for.

Kikyou stopped and stared up at her thoughtfully for a moment. She opened her mouth then subsequently closed it folding her arms furrowing her brow and really giving it some thought, "I don't remember."

"Seriously?" Kikyou nodded her head. "You can't suddenly hit someone like that without reason nor swear that loudly in the hallway."

"Why not?"

Kagome stared wide eyed at her. "Because it's not right!" Kikyou stared blankly up at her and Kagome had to wonder if there wasn't some unscrewed bolt somewhere inside her head. "It's ok Kikyou from the sound of it he was probably being a leech." She patted the girls shoulder.

Kikyou frowned.

"Oh cut it out its cute." Kagome grinned at Kikyou's scowl as the girl tromped down the hall. Her great aunt Kira had taken her in overjoyed over the fact. She doted over the girl, bought her clothing and dragged her around to her friends at the beauty salon which lead to the inevitable cutting of the hair. Her hair had been cut to just below her ear in a bob with straight even bangs. Some people in school didn't even recognize her from before and of course high school boys began to take particular notice. Instead of being teased they were giving her wolf whistles instead.

Kagome stiffened when she saw a door ahead open and Hojou walking out of the classroom. "Let's go down this hallway." Kagome muttered as she whipped around intent on doing so until he called out her name. She sighed at the loud "Higurashi!" and stopped slowly turning around to the young teen with hazel eyes and light brown hair.

Hojou's expression fell when he saw Kagome purposefully ignoring him. He did not blame her for being shy from him it was his fault that it all happened, that she had lost Eri as a friend. He was sure he made her uncomfortable especially after confessing to her right in front of his girlfriend. He should have shown more tact and gone to her house instead. That of course led up to his argument with Eri and their inevitable breakup.

Still he couldn't bear to have her ignore him. He missed her smiles, her long black colored hair and her petite form. She was the cutest girl in school. Kagome was so different now it was like she wasn't even the same Kagome he knew from middle school. Aside from sharing her name he wasn't sure this even was Kagome.

"Mr. Hojou, I may be ready for those tests." Someone called out to him distracting him from his train of thought.

"Chang, you're ready so quickly?" He was surprised.

Kikyou stared at him for a long while, "Don't sound so surprised." She finally glared.

Hojou held up a hand, "I didn't mean it that way!" He rubbed the back of his neck with his free hand. He couldn't say she was smart or even mediocre. Kikyou was painstakingly difficult to tutor. Her reading was at elementary level, she couldn't do anything beyond simple math and she was just… odd. Whenever he spoke to her he wanted to poke her to see if she was really there or slept with her eyes open.

Eri had caught onto why he volunteered to tutor Chang Kikyou. It wasn't hard to see the resemblance that she had to Kagome… well at least the Kagome he remembered. It had been the first major fight he had with Eri, subsequently it was the basis of all their arguments. When Kagome eventually returned his already rocky relationship with Eri suddenly became awkward.

But the girl he knew to the girl standing in front of him was not the same. After Kagome came back she was shy quiet and reserved beyond the obvious physical changes. He read some books about post trauma after serious medical conditions and that fit Kagome's new persona. Hojou had never seen someone who was as young and susceptible to illnesses as Kagome.

Maybe he was just too nervous around this new exotic looking Kagome. He didn't know how to approach her anymore. He wished she could become more like her old self again but since coming back she never did, she ditched her friends and preferred the company of someone who used to look like her and acted very strange.

Hojou realized he had been staring at Kikyou without saying anything for awhile, her light brown eyes staring at him in that odd… way of hers. Hojou unconsciously shivered at the way she was looking at him, usually she would seem intently zoned out of it but today she was almost studying him like an insect. "Well that's good we can talk to the teacher and get it started."

Kikyou stared at him a moment longer when he wasn't going to say anything else she grabbed Kagome's wrist and pulled her down the hallway. "He likes you."

"Yea well, he's going out with my best friend… well not my best friend anymore."

"He is not."

Kagome looked down at Kikyou blinking when she said that. "Don't tell me they broke up."

"They did, Eri was yelling loudly the whole time. It was probably two weeks ago now. I'm surprised you didn't hear it with your sensitive hearing."

Kagome's eyes widened and she stopped dead in the middle of the hallway. "Wha… what did you say?"

Kikyou stopped and looked over her shoulder, "They did, Eri was yelling loudly the whole time. It was probably two weeks ago now. I'm surprised you didn't hear it with your sensitive hearing."

"Wh… what!"

"They did, Eri was yelling loudly the whole time. It was probably two weeks ago now. I'm surprised you didn't hear it with your sensitive hearing."

Ok that was creepy, Kikyou sounded like a broken machine. "I heard that I meant the last part."

"That you had sensitive hearing?"

"Yea."

"You're a demon aren't you?"

Her eyes widened as she felt her heart completely stop. "How did…?" That was all she could muster.

Kikyou watched as she went completely white, "Souta told me."

Souta… the same little man that told her she had to 'protect' her secret identity was GIVING IT OUT LIKE FREE BEER! "Souta." Kagome growled low under her breath as her hands curled into fists.

_Somewhere in a school not far away Souta felt all the hairs on the back of his neck rise._

Kagome bowed her head, her bangs hiding her eyes, "How long?"

"Two weeks now, the day I moved in with your great Aunt Kira." Kikyou put a finger to her lips, "He said I had to keep a secret about you then he told me you were a demon."

"And you believed him?"

Kikyou turned around to face the tall girl, "How couldn't I?"

Kagome covered her face with her hands, "I'm going to kill him." How could he be so careless! I mean she was helping out a girl she barely knew and Souta blurts out something vital to her existence. "Is that all he told you?"

"He said something about an old well that led to the past, and that your ex boyfriend was a half demon that hurt your feelings because he still loved a girl with my name who looks like me that died fifty years ago but was resurrected in a clay body and treated you like shit. Oh yes, and you were that girl's reincarnation from the future."

Now she was really going to kill him. Kagome narrowed her eyes as a low feral growl reverberated in her throat, "Souta."

_In his school Souta shivered stood up and looked around wondering what this feeling of impending doom was._

Most incredulous of it all was, "And you believed him!" Most and she really meant EVERYBODY who listened to Souta out would think he was crazy! Well… the more she stared at Kikyou the more she realized the girl wasn't all there to begin with.

"Well not at first, then he showed me proof. Stuff you brought back… then I believed him. Plus you have fangs, ears and claws and I caught you going feral on a dumpling in the middle of the night."

He… PROVED IT! Souta, the boy would not live to see thirteen. His tombstone would read, 'Let this be a lesson to all annoying brothers who can't keep their mouth shut.'

"And you're ok with all of this?"

Kikyou nodded her head, "Why not, I've got nothing else to believe in." She waved once before walking down the hallway disappearing between the humans around her.

Kagome slipped onto her knees and felt a huge weight lift off her shoulders but not after she screamed from the top of her lungs on the roof of the school, **"SOUTA YOU'RE SO GOING TO DIE!"**

* * *

Souta's pencil dropped.

"Whoa man did I just hear someone say your name?" His classmate looked outside the window.

Souta knew that voice all too well and knew that once he stepped foot inside shrine grounds that place was going to become very unholy.


	14. Fourteen

_**Chapter 14) Severance**_

Kagome kept pace with the rest of her team until they went around the corner then she bolted a bit ahead of everyone so she could have peace and quiet away from the rest of them. She let out a sigh and took in the smell of the air content she could get away from the sights and smells of school for at least an hour a day.

She was so glad the coach let her in, he didn't at first but she sort of nagged him until he let her with no guarantees he would ever take her to competition. It was fine, she was ok with that she just needed the release that running gave her.

"Higurashi."

Kagome turned her head to the breathless voice calling out to her. Hojou was running full sprint to catch up to her. "Hojou-kun what are you doing out here?" She snapped at him.

"I joined track today."

Kagome's eyes narrowed and she looked forward in annoyance, "You could have just stuck a note in my locker if you wanted to talk to me."

"I have been!"

Oh…well Kikyou disposed of them for her that way she didn't have to do it and, it was the greatest excuse next to 'my dog ate it' and it gave Kikyou something to burn rather than smoking cigarettes.

"I know you're mad at me."

"I'm not mad at you."

He blinked, "You're not?"

"Hojou I really don't want to talk to you right now. I'm not mad at you but I just don't want to talk." Kagome sped up a bit and kept that pace for awhile. After a few minutes she could hear Hojou strain to keep up before slowing down considerably. When she was halfway across the field she saw him stop and lean down resting his hands on his knees wheezing heavily.

She let out an aggravated sigh. Kagome picked up her pace and eventually circled around to where she was behind him. She stopped and stood in front of him. "Walk it off Naibu."

"I… can't." He coughed a few times before saying, "black spots."

Kagome took his hand and wrapped it over her shoulder as she put her hand around his waist and after coach saw him and shook his head she took him straight to the nurse.

"Hojou-kun you hang on we're almost there." When she felt his weight suddenly shift on top of her she rolled her eyes and leaned to the side to support him fully. "Don't you dare pass out on me!" When he said nothing nor stirred she let closed her eyes in annoyance. Looking around she made sure they were alone in the hallway before hoisting him on her back carrying him.

The nurse looked up and stared, "Did you carry him all the way dear?"

Kagome blanched, "Uh… he just fainted and he's really heavy." She feigned wobbling and with the nurses 'help' laid him on the cot.

Kagome sat beside him the bed in a small chair. She folded her legs and let out a sigh looking down at Hojou. She remembered when they were in grade school she thought he was the prettiest boy in class. She had a huge crush on him through junior high… the day before she turned 15 everything changed.

Perhaps she fell for Inuyasha because he was her knight in shining armor… over and over again. There were so many times he had saved her life, so many times she had thought whenever he stole a glance at her that he was seeing her, not Kikyou. Loving someone at 15 years was difficult both of them were so immature in so many ways.

Beyond Inuyasha there was Kouga, although she thought of him as a friend the southern wolf pack clan leader made his sentiments vocally clear to her. Then there was the warlord Nugamo whom was awfully cute and even Hojou's great great great grandfather to boot! And all this attention when she wasn't even remotely interested in finding a boyfriend!

No, after being serenaded by both demon's and human prince's alike Hojou's chances grew slimmer and slimmer. She wasn't being a snob Kagome was just tired of fake promises and pretty words and Kouga proclaiming her 'his woman' all over feudal Japan then coming home to Hojou trying to stake claim by serenading her with gifts. It wasn't like she didn't know his intentions, her friends made doubly certain.

Kagome always wanted a normal life and possibly a normal boyfriend, now that she was a demon she envied her past life and the freedoms it came with. Could she learn to live a normal life again?

What about liking someone again? She wasn't saying love… love was something for people who weren't broken like she was… just to _like_ someone… maybe even have a chance at normality.

She reached up and with the back of her long claw pushed back his light brown hair from his forehead. What about Hojou? She mentally sighed, no not like Hojou. She didn't know what she wanted anymore, maybe he was perfect for her at one point in her life but now… as a demon? No. When he started to stir she took her hand away from his forehead and sat back down on the chair. Maybe… maybe she should leave.

Hojou opened his eyes looking up to the white ceiling. Wasn't he in gym running around the track after Kagome?

Kagome stood up to leave but he saw her.

"No wait!" Hojou reached out and took her hand.

Kagome stilled when he grabbed her hand like that. After the shock wore off something else settled in its place… something much darker. It started with a shiver up her spine and triggered a blind rage.

"Please don't go. Let me say a few things, you can go and think about it. Hate me forever if you want but just let me explain."

Kagome couldn't go she was rooted to the spot. She began to see spots herself, spots that lost their color. She balled her hands into fists digging into her skin.

Hojou saw her stiffen and he let go of her hand, "We didn't know what happened to you. No one knew, your family didn't say anything. I thought… something bad happened to you."

Her lips pulled back into a vicious snarl. Kagome wanted to reach up and slap her hands over her mouth wondering why or how she could do something like that.

"I've always liked you Kagome, I told you I would wait for you. I guess in our grief we sort of got together, me and Eri. That was wrong. I know after you came back you've got post trauma after what you've been through, you're different now and I can be ok with all of that if you give me the chance."

Gritting her teeth as hard as she could she shook hard and eventually let out a sigh when the feeling just washed over her. She felt tired and weak. Kagome pulled a chair to her and sat down on the spot. She reached up and dragged her talons through her hair before looking up at Hojou. He said a few things just now didn't he? She thought for a moment and just shrugged it off as not important it probably had to do with why he went out with Eri or something. "Hojou I have to tell you something."

"What is it?"

"I tried to tell you a few times but you must have really blindly liked me not to really listen to what I was saying." She eyed his soft brown eyes that held nothing but confusion. "His name was Inuyasha, and I was with him for a few years."

Hojou blinked, "Years?"

Kagome nodded, "Although Inuyasha would never admit to it, we were steady."

"You were seeing someone?"

"Sort of."

"What do you mean 'sort of'?"

"Because we were together but he'd never had the balls to admit we were a couple." Kagome almost smiled at his wide eyes at her statement. She really did grow up being rather loose lipped after Inuyasha.

His eyebrows furrowed and he said nothing for a few minutes trying to digest this all in, "Why didn't you ever tell me?" he finally whispered.

"Because there was no 'us' if you liked me you never told me. You assumed I knew but I didn't, I thought you were being overly nice because you were my friend since grade school and I was always sick."

"But I would always ask you out on dates!" He said on his behalf.

"But it never went further than that Hojou. You assumed we were a couple after one date then started saying the oddest things to me like 'if you need time I'll wait.' I didn't understand what you were trying to tell me I was sick all the time." She let out a sigh narrowing her eyes slightly pulling out her wild card. "Plus I wasn't the only girl you ever went out with… remember that 7th grader?"

Hojou's eyes widened and he put up both hands defensively, "There was nothing between me and Suki we just went out to the movies twice."

"And we went to the ice cream store once."

He closed his mouth.

_**Checkmate.**_

"You know I'm really surprised Eri didn't tell you about him. I thought she'd spill it all to someone to get back at me."

"Well… she sort of did. That's why we broke up. I thought she was lying about you."

"She may have stretched the truth because she's mad at me but basically she wasn't lying."

Hojou's face became pensive after a moment he whispered, "Where is this Inuyasha now?"

Kagome stared at him for a moment. Something must have passed through her expression that caused Hojou to recoil lightly. She whipped her head to the side and looked out the window. She closed her eyes whispering softly, "He's not around anymore." A slight 'oh' is all she heard and then he said nothing more on the subject. She kept her eyes closed until she was sure she could open them without tears falling. Kagome stood up and walked out pausing at the doorframe looking over her shoulder at the sorrowful expression on Hojou's face, "I'm sorry." She whispered softly before walking out of the infirmary.

She wasn't sad she confessed her relationship with Inuyasha to Hojou, it just felt as though she severed one of the last remaining connections to her former humanity. "Perhaps this is for the best," she thought as she squared her shoulders and walked down the hall balling her hands into fists almost drawing blood with her talons poking her palms. It just wasn't fair, it never was.

'_Hate him…'_

That little voice nagged her yet again. Every time she was on the verge of tears over his betrayal that small voice would just … say that.

'_Hate him…'_

That was the ultimate severance… the singular part of her that stubbornly refused to accept her demonic nature fully. It wasn't that she was still in love with Inuyasha it was the fact she _**didn't **_want to hate him. What would happen to her if she lost that last shred of humanity? The human she was stood for courage, love, compassion, understanding and friendship. If she turned away from that would the demon become that which her dreams portrayed? She stopped and turned her head to look into a window looking at her pale reflection with ice colored eyes. Even though the exterior was a demon, her heart was still human.

So hate him? No, she allowed herself to be mad at Inuyasha… but not hate.

* * *

"You seem pissed."

"I don't hate him!" Hours later with those thoughts still on her mind she barked at Kikyou during lunch and turned back to the unopened paper bag during lunch and glared at it. Every now and then the smell of burned meat or something really disgusting caught her and she would wrinkle her nose. Cafeteria food was just not food but mystery meat found in traps at the side of the road.

Kikyou stared at Kagome's rather loud outburst then stared at her own unopened paper bag as well. She didn't know who Kagome was talking about hating, maybe it was that Hojou kid that wouldn't take no for an answer. Kagome only had to give her the okay and she'd bust his knee caps in. Kagome had been staring at her lunch bag since she got to the lunch room and Kikyou proceeded to stare at her lunch bag as well. In the corner of her eye she saw Kagome sneering at her own lunch and Kikyou sneered at her lunch as well. She was almost positive it was tuna, it was always tuna, it will always be tuna.

The great Aunt Kira was an extremely old woman with about a zillion cats that appointed Miss Kira as queen of the apartment. Miss Kira rarely left her flowered recliner throne for anything aside from going to get her hair done although Kikyou started to think that Miss Kira was permanently attached to it. Her subjects would roll around on the ground and Kikyou was appointed housekeeper to the royal court and feeder of the sacred cats and royal scooper of the litter. For her services she shared the table scraps of the cats put into bread and packaged in these brown sacs. The cats did not show their appreciation to her, they pooped around the house and they stole her bed. She was forced to sleep in the cat basket next to the dryer which none of the cats ever used. But, in retrospect it was a good life. Miss Kira was very nice and always baked sweets, sometimes she would pinch her cheeks really hard but she was okay with that.

Still… it was ALWAYS TUNA! "I hate tuna." She muttered.

"It's not tuna." Kagome folded her arms on the table and resting her forehead on them. "It's pastrami."

"No cat food today!" Kikyou tore into the bag and ate her sandwich.

Kagome looked up and noticed everyone around them was staring she just shrugged and put her forehead down on her arms again. She was tired actually, not mentally plain out physically. It felt good to be tired it meant she was vulnerable and human. Maybe when she got home she'd actually take a nap, even better she would actually sleep through the night. She smiled excited for the upcoming rest. After dropping Kikyou off at her apartment after school she yawned happily ready to hit the sack.

Kagome walked up the long set of stairs to the shrine house until a loud noise scared her and instantly Kagome leapt backwards flying into the branches of a tall tree. Her heart raced as she looked down seeing her little brother with a foghorn in hand, "SOUTA CUT THAT OUT!"

Souta had been hiding in the bushes for a looooong time waiting for Kagome to come home. He had been smart enough to rub up against a bunch of stuff so she couldn't figure out where he was by using her nose. All she knew is that he was there, not that he still was there. This time he got her good.

He saw it on a movie, attack of the killer wolf or something like that. They killed the wolf person by him. Hiding the foghorn behind his back away from Kagome's all seeing eyes he smiled sheepishly, "Good one my padawan learner."

"Padawhat?" Kagome growled as she lunged at him grabbing him by the ankle raising him into the air upside down.

"This was for your training!"

"Training my butt." Kagome raised him higher so she could glare at him eye to eye, "Souta what if I became so scared I reverted into something well… not me?" She didn't know how to explain the darkness that loomed over her at all times. It frightened her of what she could be, the damage she would do if she ever gave into it.

Souta put his finger to his lips, "You mean that turkey dinner a few months ago?"

Kagome glared at him as she opened her hand letting him fall on the grass before stomping away back rigid and hands balled into fists. "Never bring that up again!" Dinner already was a waking nightmare without bringing back the worst of it.

"Okay… sheesh." Souta stood up brushing his pants from the grass finding out that he had grass stains on his new jeans… crap he was going to have to tell his mother. Then she'd find out what he did to piss off his sister then she'd get mad at him for that.

No way, he was going to have to wash his own pants tonight.

Kagome walked into the house and was immediately assaulted by her grandfather's scream.

"**HEY SOUTA IS KAGOME BACK YET?"**

Kagome's ears were already throbbing in pain because of Souta's little trick. She closed her eyes in irritation as her grandfather spotted her in the living room.

"Kagome you're here." He blinked. _'Must be those demon reflexes.'_

Kagome wanted to growl but instead she smiled ear to ear blinking her frustration out. "Yes?" She said in her sweetest voice as she dropped her pack on the ground.

"I went over to my supplier today and found you this." He reached into his haori pulling something out.

"Gee gramps… a water kappa foot again?" Kagome folded her arms waiting to see what he got her. She got to a point where she was mildly curious as to what he could find. Her grandfather made it an art form to bring home stuff no one had ever heard about. When he pulled out a clear teardrop shaped crystal attached to a leather cord her eyebrows furrowed. That looked normal enough, even pretty.

He ran his fingers over the smooth surface of the crystal. "This, my dear is one of the very rocks belonging to a demon mountain. The crystal is part of its body infused with its youki." He put the crystal in her hand and curled her fingers around it seeing her surprised look he added, "I didn't believe the story either but it was pretty enough… a demon mountain how absurd."

"Demon mountain?" She whispered holding the crystal up to eye level. "Fuyouheki." She whispered remembering the name of the mountain demon that wanted nothing more to rest. It was killed by Naraku in the end. This crystal… could it really be the Fuyouheki, the same one that erased a demon's aura?

"That wasn't what I was going to show you." He whipped around despite his age grabbing a rather large book from his recliner. It was a very large old weathered book with dust over the cover. He blew on it to get some of the dust off and Kagome started coughing as the dust hit her nose. "I read it in here somewhere…"

He sifted through the brittle pages which were stuck together before stopping at a page and flipping the book her way shoving it in her face. She took a step back and stared at the squiggly drawing. "Um… what am I looking at?"

"This is an ancient Buddhist text I found at my supplier it is a training manual for casting holy aura to seal a demon and purification."

A growl found its way to her throat as she took another step back away from the text, "You want to do _**what**_?" She knew what the hell she was now but other than wishing again on the tama she was damned sure that sealing and purifying wouldn't turn her human.

He was blissfully unaware at how close he was to seeing the end of his old age. "There's purification on many things; trees, water, and air." He held up an ofuda with a badly scribbled purification charm. "I don't know if they work, but I will try!" With that he slammed the book shut throwing more dust in the air and in her nose and skipping into his room slamming the door shut so he could have peace and quiet as he tried to figure out how to work these things.

Kagome on the other hand, after she was done sneezing, was just standing there in awe at what just happened. She didn't have to worry that he could seal her, none of the charms he made seem to work.

But this… she looked down at the crystal… if this really was the Fuyouheki she could use this. She stuffed it into her pocket wondering how she could test something like this out without another demon or legitimate holy man to sense your presence.

"Hello there Kagome." Mrs. Higurashi walked into the living room wiping her hands on her apron, "How was school today?"

Yes school… "School sucks."

"You can do it." Mrs. Higurashi patted her on the shoulder. "It's only a few more weeks."

"Yea a few more weeks." Kagome dragged her pack up the stairs not bothering to pick it up. Her mother was just way too optimistic. There were some people that were just too happy every morning whenever they woke up. Her mom was like that all day long. She walked into her room letting go of the strap of her pack and tossing it to the ground.

"HEY KAGOME!"

Kagome winced at her brother's scream from downstairs. Didn't anyone in this household talk normally? He could have whispered it and she would have heard him with her door closed. She plopped down on her bed face first covering her head with her pillow.

Her head turned to the side peeking out from under the confines of the pillow as she looked at her brother's doe colored eyes, "Souta I'm tired." Kagome muttered covering her head with the pillow once more.

"Yea right you're a demon you're not tired." Souta put his fists on his hips, "I _know_ you aren't really that tired."

"I haven't slept for a week, okay?" Kagome raised the pillow to glare at him before she covered her face back up.

"Aw come on Kagome and I wanted to show you all these cool new moves." When nothing is going your way, whine. "Please, just a half hour!" When she didn't budge he begged again, "Ten minutes tops!"

"Fine!" Kagome closed her eyes before flinging the pillow off her face, so much for taking a nap! "Out of my room while I change." She ordered the boy.

Souta smiled big time knowing he had just won. Kagome knew he wouldn't stop until she did what he wanted. Too bad he didn't have one of those subduing necklaces that she had around Inuyasha. Maybe he'd ask his grandfather if he could find one from his 'supplier.'

After she changed into a pair of loose grey cotton pants that tied around the waist and a tight black tank top Kagome walked down the stairs stretching her arms over her head sniffing the air. They had steak before she got home it seemed. She let out a sigh pulling all her hair up in a high ponytail, life was just not fair.

She snuck into the kitchen before skewering an apple with her claws devouring the whole thing in like three bites before tossing the core into the garbage. Kagome shivered as she walked out into the cold night air, her bare feet making light tapping noises on the ground before she walked into the large emperor style shrine.

With the tall ceilings and empty area it was a great place to train. Kagome stood in the middle of her room folding her arms glaring at her little brother who had a wicked little smile on his face standing beside a pile of bricks. "You're up to something."

"Who, me?" He pointed at himself with a thumb.

"No I was talking about Buddha. Yes you." Kagome rolled her eyes before she began to stretch her body gracefully. To be honest she didn't really need to do all this 'training' but it was the few times she spent with Souta. She watched as he sat down on the ground cross legged nodding for her to go on.

Souta was heading into thirteen years old. Kagome didn't have to second guess who he was trying to be when he grew up. He said 'feh' a lot, wore red constantly, he was growing out his hair and taking practice sword training at the youth center. Soon the boy was going to start swearing soon.

Yeah right, not with her mother around. Her mom had set up one of those swear jars about a week ago and it was half full already. Poor Souta… literally poor.

Kagome was glad that Souta never asked about Inuyasha anymore. After she came back as a demon she could hear him whisper Inuyasha's name to her mom in hushed questions, then those stopped altogether and Souta never actually said his name anymore. Kagome never told Souta what happened but it wasn't as though he couldn't have guessed why she had been crying for weeks on end. And even though he committed the ultimate act of atrocity towards her Kagome never spoke ill of him. She didn't want to tarnish Souta's admiration for the hanyou, after all Inuaysha never did anything to hurt her little brother. She just wished Inuaysha would have thought about all the people he had affected with his actions. She swore he had ADD or something, look before he leapt, socially inept… yea maybe she should take psychology.

"You're zoned out again!"

She rolled her eyes at her little brother before raising her arms and doing a gracefully slow back flip. A pile of bricks were stacked neatly across from her and she ran fast and with her right hand she chopped into the middle of the brick.

There was clearly the sound of a crack.

But the brick didn't break.

"OWWWW!" She grabbed her sore hand and began to dance wildly in pain.

Souta slapped his forehead hard. "Not a karate chop, with your fist."

Kagome shook her hand, "I dare you to try it!"

"You're the demon!" He growled back.

"UGH you're so annoying!"

"Hey, you're bleeding." Souta ran to his sister's side and looked at the deep cut.

"Where did you get this sort of training might I add?" Kagome had always been wondering what the devil her little brother was trying to make her do.

"I saw it in some video I rented. Hey that looks deep." Souta watched as the pitch black blood dripped from a cut on the side of her palm, "You might have to go to the hospital and get some stitches…"

"No way!" Kagome nervously cried out, "Absolutely not! I don't want to live my life in some zoo."

Souta hadn't finished his sentence from before because he was staring at the skin seal on its own right in front of his eyes. The pale skin sealed up until there was nothing but a faint scar then it slowly started to disappear away. "What just happened?" He looked up at his sister who looked kind of zoned, the pupils of her eyes were enlarged and she was staring quietly at the cut of her hand blankly. "Kagome?" He whispered wondering what was wrong with her. She just stared at her hand, a swirl of cold swept between them and a sort of foreboding feeling rushed through him and he was suddenly scared, "Kagome!" He shook her hard and she started blinking.

Kagome blinked and stared at her little brother, "What's wrong?" He looked positively frightened. "I'm alright Souta. See, I'm a fast healer."

Souta knew that she was not 'there' for a second he could see it in her eyes. He had no idea what happened when she wasn't completely here with him consciously but whatever it was scared the living shit out of him. "Why is it so black?" He whispered watching her wipe the bit of blood of her hand with the edge of her shirt. It wasn't the red of a regular human's blood, this was so dark red it was black.

"I dunno. I'm learning as much as you are you know?"

"Nee-chan?"

"Hm?"

"Are there really such things as vampires and werewolves?"

"Yes there are. Bat demons and wolf demons."

"Oh." Now Souta looked over his shoulder, "There any here?"

"Souta!" Kagome grabbed his hand and led him back to the house. "There isn't anything out there like that." At least… she hoped there wasn't. But she wasn't about to entertain his more imaginative nature. She could sense demonic auras so she figured she'd be able to sense another demon.

"Then you killed them with stakes and stuff." Souta looked up at her.

Kagome shook her head, "I used my arrows to purify them. Souta you watch way too many monster movies."

Souta had never really talked about demons and stuff with his sister, but it was pretty dumb considering that she walked among them and fought with the and against them. Then there was something he remembered in a vampire move, "Hey nee-chan?"

"What?" Kagome was dreading another demon fairytale that he wanted her to answer.

"How long do demons live?"

"Depends on the definition of 'demon.' Sango told me a little so I don't know. There are lesser demons like animals, plants, objects and even demons formed by strong emotions. Sango says there are lesser demons like small creatures that were possessed by unnatural forces or born during blood moons, demons that can't take forms possess a person's or objects body or take their life force from others to sustain themselves."

"Sustains themselves by eating humans?"

"Some do. They suck the soul from your body. We came across a frog demon that was over a thousand years old by just taking the souls of young girls. Even Kouga-kun's wolves at human flesh, that is before I met him."

"So I am food?" He inched away from his sister.

"Souta I'm not going to eat you." She rolled her eyes. Really he was a wimp. She sat down on a stone bench and folded her arms.

"What other type of youkai are there?"

"I saw a cave demon that devoured the power from priestesses. There were monsters like what you see in the movies that breathed fire but those are lesser beasts. Sango once told me the most fearsome type of demon masquerade themselves in human form, like…" She stared down at her little brother realizing that she never really told him much about Sesshoumaru or a few others she met along the way.

"Like you?" Souta stared at her with critical eyes, "What kind of demon are you?"

"I… I don't know Souta. I was human, then the wish on the shikkon turned me into this but I don't know what 'this' is."

Souta made an 'oh' sound before looking down to her perfect skin, "What about a taiyoukai, a higher demon like you? How long would you live?"

Kagome blinked. _'What about a taiyoukai like you?'_ She never once thought in her life she would hear that question aimed her way. "Sango told me the story that greater demons were completely unlike lesser youkai. They are direct descendants of the first demon the god and mother of Japan created. They are huge rare beasts that have great power. Even rarer are titanyoukai like Inuyasha's father who was a monstrous in true form. There are a few of those I've met that I guess don't want to take human form or they can't, I don't know. I guess that's reserved for stronger minded youkai that have complete control of their bodies."Kagome tapped her chin wondering about what category she'd fall into. Did that mean she had a different form because demons were not naturally human like in shape or was there such a thing as a human youkai?

A huge cat.

Yeah, Kagome could secretly be leader of the cats.

Sure thing… she inwardly rolled her eyes as she leaned backwards looking up into the night sky. "I guess it all depends on if they can keep and maintain that control. I've seen a taiyoukai go feral and give into his blood rendering him no greater than the lesser youkai. Fighting instinct is something that is not just hard, it's impossible. And feral means you fight a lot until you're either killed or eventually taken over by the bloodlust inside like a berserker." Kagome had seen Inuyasha loose it into his true blood before. It was a sight that sometimes gave her nightmares. He had a sword custom built so he wouldn't fall into his darker instincts. "So, a taiyoukai that has complete control of their body and instinct live…"

Souta noticed that her eyes widened and didn't finish her sentence. "What?"

"...they're immortal…"

Souta stared at her for a moment before something of a realization of what she just said hit him and then he whispered 'oh' softly before going very quiet.

* * *

Although she was exhausted her mind kept wandering to her earlier conversation with Souta under the god tree.

She just couldn't get it out of her mind and it was robbing her of any sleep.

She folded her arms looking out of the window pensively at the city lights beyond the trees. "Forever." She whispered softly at no one putting a hand to her lips to chew on a talon. It was a nervous habit she had picked up. She heard the sound of tapping downstairs and realized someone was awake. Wrapping a robe around her she walked out of the bedroom. Instantly a night light flickered on and she winced as it blinded her momentarily. She used her foot to kick it out of the socket blinking a bit to get back adjusted to the greenish haze that allowed her to see in the dark. Kagome leaned into Souta's room and saw him lying face down on the covers that he had kicked off in the night his arms were hanging off the edge of the bed. He snorted and flipped over before beginning to snore loudly.

Rolling her eyes she shut his door muttering, "little brothers" before walking down the stairs towards the light in the kitchen and the light tapping sound that caught her ears upstairs. The closer she got to the light the more her eyes adjusted. Kagome peeked in and saw her mother in a robe and slippers at the table that was covered with a few letters with calculator in hand.

Kagome stood for a moment looking in taking her mother's soft scent of lilacs and a few other things she didn't know too well enough to identify. The elder woman's hair was tussled as though she had been sleeping before she came down to do some accounting. She had a slight smile to her face even though it looked as though she was going over bills. But that was just her mother, smiling at everything even though other's would get stressed over it. "Mama?" Kagome whispered softly as not to startle her.

Akiko heard her daughter whisper and she turned her head to the side to see Kagome standing there leaning against the doorframe. "Kagome, what are you doing awake?"

"I don't sleep a lot mom you know that."

"Well you should try."

Kagome walked into the kitchen and sat down at the table beside her mom looking at some of the bills her mom was going over. "Whatcha' doing?" She watched her mom go back to shuffling a few letters here and there.

"I finally got an estimate from the photographer for the new family photo. We'll have to cut a few things back in order to afford it but we can do it."

"This is really important to you isn't it?" For the past couple months her mother had been not too subtly hinting about getting another photo taken. Kagome had never really thought about the financial status of her family situation before. When she was little she thought a hundred yen made her the richest person in the countryside, when she was older she was busy struggling between two eras where you'd be considered a lord with that same hundred yen. Perhaps she could help around the house Kagome figured she was being a burden to her family. They had to switch to all natural cleaners which weren't cheap, buy more food for her and even change their entire life because of her. She felt as though she owed her family that much for being such a bother. "Mom I can take a part time job if you want."

Akiko slammed her hand on the table actually catching her daughter off guard, "You have to focus on your studies Kagome. We'll make it through we always have." With that she closed the discussion by standing up and walking out of the kitchen.

Kagome blinked never once seeing her mom annoyed with anything in her entire life.

She knew that the family did not have to pay to live here as the Higurashi clan had been custodians of this shrine for over five generations but they still had to live and eat. Kagome didn't always live here, her mother grew up here but when she married her father they had lived in Kyoto. After her father died they moved in with her grandfather at the shrine and Kagome had pretty much been raised here.

Kagome folded her arms on the table and leaned down resting her chin on her arms staring off into the sea of bills recalling today's earlier conversation with Souta. There was a natural order to things, a cycle of life and death. Kagome was not out of that cycle and would be forced to sit back and watch those she loved grow old and die generation after generation. She wouldn't have the luxury of being pinned to the god tree sleeping for fifty years… she would be awake to see it all while staying exactly as she was for now… for a very long time.

Her lips went into a thin line a look of deep concentration marred her pretty features. They didn't have to live like this, from paycheck to paycheck. She would have to sacrifice some time from her family but her mother was completely right, the best thing she could do for them was to go to school and get a good career and take care of her family. Yes, that is what she was going to do.

_I will take care of them, all of them._


	15. Fifteen

Kikyou leaned over and whispered, "Word?" She pointed to a word in the book she was reading.

Kagome looked at the word, "Dissection."

"Ok." Kikyou furrowed her eyebrows and read on for about twenty seconds before leaning over pointing at a word, "Word?"

"Dissertation."

"Meaning?"

"Thesis, um… an essay."

After about twenty seconds she again pointed to a long word, "Word?"

"Theoretical."

"I know what that means."

It went on for another half hour before Kagome stopped studying and reached over plucking the book out of Kikyou's hand and flipping it shut looking at the cover. This was more advanced reading than the books Kikyou's teachers were giving her. "Biology?"

Kikyou remained silent and Kagome looked over to see her frozen in place looking as though she was sitting reading a book that was resting on her hands… sans book. Kagome opened the book back to the page she was on and placed it back where she found it. As soon as she did the girl answered her question.

"They decided to put me in an advanced class to see how I do."

"That's good Kikyou." She thought for a moment, "Wait, you're going to dissect frogs?"

"Correction,_** we**_ are going to dissect frogs."

* * *

Kagome frowned the whole time the teacher was explaining the process, she frowned when they got into the lab, she was frowning when she put on her lab coat and she was frowning sitting on the stool waiting for the dead creature to be brought to her.

Kikyou stared at Kagome who looked quite foul. She folded her arms and frowned too.

"Hey Chang good job on that test." Hojou gave her a smile and stopped cold when he saw Kagome sitting next to her. It was rather creepy to see Kagome next to an old version of herself.

"I don't care if I get marked down I'm not touching the thing." Kagome growled out.

Kikyou looked down at her scalpel and little torture tools before lining them up perfectly. When she was done arranging her weaponry she looked up to see one Hojou Naibu still beside her. She stared at him wondering what the hell he was doing here. Kagome hadn't even noticed him or if she did she was rightly ignoring him. She would ignore him too.

Hojou blushed at her staring, "Teacher said to group with you both."

Kikyou snorted, "Because Kagome is always sick and I am considered a retard."

His brown eyes widened, "I didn't say that!"

"You didn't they did." Kikyou went back to the table knife holding it up examining the blade carefully, "This will do." She didn't catch the paling of the boys face.

"My day can't get any worse." Kagome muttered miserably pinching her nose when the frogs were taken out of the storage, the formaldehyde stinging instantly to her eyes completely dulling her senses. She took a napkin out of her pocket and covered her mouth with it.

"Kagome?" Hojou saw her expression before the frogs were even at the lab station. "Are you alright?"

"It's the smell." Kikyou murmured and smiled when they brought her the little specimen spread out and pinned down already for her. "She has a problem with strong smells."

Kagome felt her eyes start to water as she looked down at the poor little creature and felt someone's hands on her shoulders. She gagged and made a wretch sound and vaguely heard the teacher tell her to go outside. She stood up and let them guide her out of the door. She didn't care about everyone either staring or laughing at her expense she wanted out and out now.

"Higruashi, are you alright?"

Once outside in the hall she was finally able to take her hand off her mouth and breathe in fresh air. She caught her breathe and leaned against the wall bowing her head down, "I'm going to fail biology. "

"It's alright the school understands with all your illness'."

Kagome blinked and stood up locking eyes with Hojou, "What are you doing here?"

"Well I was your other lab partner."

Kagome frowned, "You're a teacher's aide, not a lab partner."

Hojou laughed uneasily and rubbed his hand behind his head, "Well ahehe… um." He held up both his hands when her eyebrows furrowed. Who would have thought Kagome would get easily upset? "Well you both were the odd ones out, I mean no one wanted to partner… um…"

Kagome stared, was he digging himself in a hole? "I know what others think of me and I know what they think of Kikyou. And you know what, I don't care." She stared at Hojou who nodded nervously a few times, "Gomen ne, I didn't mean to take it out on you."

"It's ok Kagome." He reached out to rest a hand on her shoulder but she took a step away from. He let out a sigh.

"You should go help Kikyou." Kagome watched him walk away dejectedly. She closed her eyes shaking her head. She actually felt sorry for him. After he was dumped by Eri he was labeled as a two timer and was thus shunned by a lot of the girl's in school. As for Kagome, well one could easily figure out how they treated her but she didn't care about their whispers. She just wanted high school to be done and over with.

Hojou walked into the lab towards the petite raven haired girl and stood beside her, "Let's get start…" He blinked seeing the frog not only sliced in perfection but its little insides placed in small jars. She was the first and only one finished. She was standing there holding the scalpel straight up staring at her work with a faraway look in her eyes. "Kikyou?" Slowly her head turned towards him, dark almost violet eyes that made him shiver in intensity pinning him down while she held the little knife in hand.

After a moment she placed the blade on the table in its neat little row and walked away. He finally let out the breath he was holding and put a hand to his heart in a vain effort to calm himself.

_**Chapter 15) The Demon Within**_

"Good job Higurashi, I didn't think with your past illness record you could even keep up." The rather rotund couch patted her back, "Keep up the good work."

Kagome watched him leave and let out a sigh, sure she could keep up the good work but was he going to put her in competition… no. The only good job she had done was holding herself back from setting any speed records without arousing suspicions. She turned around abruptly already in a sour mood to face Hojou who must have been standing there hearing the whole exchange with the coach all this time.

He stared at her having not wanted to scare her by sneaking up on her. "I'm sorry."

"What's there to be sorry about, at least you get to go to competition." She put her pack over her shoulder and tugged down her skirt tensing her shoulders. She was a full lap ahead of Hojou and he got to go and so did the other slow pokes but her? No. Why? It was simple really. In order to be able to attend any of the competitions she had to have a doctor's release and full physical examination. It was easy for the others to obtain these things but for a demon? She didn't know what would happen, what could happen and what they'd find out. The last thing she wanted was to break anonymity concerning her… condition. The coach figured that she failed the examinations because of all her past illness' and Kagome went right along with it. But that didn't stop her from making fools out of everyone there by letting the _sick girl_ beat them.

"It wasn't a fair call."

"Well we're definitely not going to get a state trophy this year." Kagome stopped and let out a sigh running her hands through her bangs, she got easily angry and she didn't think that was fair to him. "Sorry Hojou-kun I shouldn't have said that."

He shoved his hands in the pockets of his track shorts, "It's true though."

"This was just my last ticket in."

"In?"

"For scholarships Hojou, I missed a lot of school and even making up for it I'm not getting scholarships. I have to take a job if I want to go and Tokyo U. is out of the question." He made a little 'oh' sound and walked silently by her. "I can't have my mom pay for school we just can't afford it."

"But you have some of the highest marks in school."

"They can't overlook my failing grades in junior high, nor my absence. I've done tons of makeup assignments, extra credit assignments… you name it. I can take valedictorian now and still be denied entrance and scholarships."

"Hey." Hojou stopped walking and pulled out a small piece of paper from his pocket, "I got this from the board in the teacher's lounge." He handed it to Kagome, "Its essay based."

Kagome took the paper from him and unfolded it reading a bit, "Taiyouheiki Corporation? I've heard of them I think." She stared for a bit and looked up to Hojou smiling, "Three two year scholarships for this school?"

Hojou looked up and down the hallway and leaned closer to her whispering, "I saw someone from Taiyouheiki talking to the principal. They chose ten schools in the region to give out these scholarships to, we're one of them. The assistant principle set these out in the teacher's lounge no one's seen this yet, they won't for another week."

Kagome looked down at the paper nibbling her lip with a fang, "I guess I can give it my best and have time to prepare before everyone else." She smiled at Hojou, "Thank you I appreciate it a lot even if I don't get it."

He blushed a bit and looked at his shoes, "It was nothing."

Kagome put the note in her pack and started walking to her locker. She was going to sit and study and make sure she wrote the best damn essay for this thing ever.

"Higurashi."

She stopped and looked over her shoulder at Hojou who was still blushing madly, "Nani?"

"I was wondering, I mean it won't be a date, to go to the fish festival together. I… can hang out with you and Kikyou."

"Sure." Kagome smiled and turned around. No harm in him hanging out with her and Kikyou at a festival, it wasn't a date right? Sure.

* * *

"You have a hot date with Naibu."

"It's not a date when there are more than two people!" Kagome swiped at a falling leaf. She blinked when the leaf got stuck to her claw and shook it out of her hand.

"They call it a…" Kikyou put up two hands and made quotation marks with her fingers, "… third wheel."

Kagome sighed and sat down on the top of the stairs leading down to the streets. "I did snub him a few times for Inuyasha."

"Then you feel sorry for him."

Kagome sighed. She just wasn't going to win this battle with Kikyou. "He did tell me about the scholarships, he didn't have to."

"Then you feel obligation."

Kagome's eyes snapped open hearing her say _that_. Someone had said that very same thing to her in a not so distant past but for the life of her she couldn't figure out where that was or who said it to her. She sighed hard looking up into the skies, Kikyou was right, she wasn't even really thinking when he asked her, she was too drunk from the idea of finally getting some sort of chance at a school. "I should have said forget it, but then I'd have to had said that to the scholarship idea as well." Kikyou turned her head and stared at her with incredulous eyes as though she was the biggest idiot ever. That's right Kikyou took cheating like it was an honor. She had even found some puny kids that groveled at her feet and did some of her homework for her. Kikyou was turning out to be one of the best little con artists in the world, who would have thought? It was Kikyou's motto that if the answers were provided for you it meant the gods themselves intervened. "You know if I take it and say no to him I'm only toying with him."

"What do you think he did in order for you to say yes to him?"

Kagome stopped to think about it for a little bit before she realized that Hojou did find a 'weakness' he could exploit to get her to concede to this so called 'date.' "Why that little…!"

"I'm going to have to raise my opinions of him." Kikyou grinned. "Only a hair though, can't let him get an ego."

"I don't know anything about this sort of dating stuff!" Kagome sighed in long suffering, "I had one boyfriend who had some serious 'letting go' issues."

"Sounds like a real winner." She stood up and looked down at her demonic friend who was in deep thought, "You aren't still thinking of Inuyasha are you? If you are you're the one having 'letting go' issues too."

Kagome looked up to Kikyou and just stared for awhile, "How can't I think of him? He made me this… thing I am now. I miss my chance at a normal life, even miss swooning over the chance with Hojou, miss my black hair… miss my everything."

"Careful what you wish for, you may just get it." Kikyou stood up brushing her skirt, "I have to go to Empress Kira and feed the royal courts."

Kagome watched Kikyou walk until she was out of sight. Sometimes she said the weirdest things, and she wasn't even talking about the 'Empress Kira' bit.

"Careful what you wish for huh?" Kagome snorted, "I didn't even wish for this and I got stuck with it."

* * *

"We've had three contractors refuse to start the project, the only one who would start without protocol wants all up front..."

He raised his left hand to pinch the bridge of his nose tightly as he shut his eyes.

"… but I wouldn't allow the heads of the project to make that decision without your approval."

He held up his free hand shutting the boy up. Didn't he hire this boy to take over the planning process of his new shipping docks and not bother him with stupidity? "Tell me the reason for this delay because it is costing me a great deal of money every day the engineers decide to play this game."

"No contractor will begin until we get a priest to bless the ground."

He could only stare. He had expected a more colorful excuse than this. "You are joking." When the boy stood there nervously scuffing his foot on the ground he felt himself age a decade at the idiocy of such a pathetic vile excuse.

"You sort of are… demolishing an ancient holy site Nandeska-sama… none of them wants to even speak to us." Shiro was instantly nervous when those eyes were fixed on him, he shivered uncontrollably at the look of malice he was being given. "I… I can contact a priest that's out of the Tokyo district, how is that?"

"If I bother to respond to that question, the whole floor gets fired… do I make myself perfectly clear?"

"Crystal."

Incompetence, utter incompetence! He stood up from the chair folding his arms wandering slowly to the tall darkened window overlooking the Tokyo skyline passing the small scared form of Shiro Okaru. He sneered not wanting to stay this long here in this city but being forced to because of people like the third floor of engineers who were pissed he cut their retirement. All he had to do to get them on track was dangle their own jobs in front of their faces… that always worked. Then again if he kept this up he would have to buy off the bitching of the union. "Tell them if they are good and there are no further delays in projects they can have their precious retirement after a full year of impeccable service to me."

Shiro bowed before scurrying out of the room.

He opened his eyes when the door closed after the little runt left. Although he was in the safety of the top of a rather large skyscraper he could feel his every move being watched. This was not his normal central of operations but with his new acquirement of a rather large shipping company he had to make his presence known in Tokyo. It made a delightful addition to the skyline, an 'I'm watching you as well' to the other corporations. He knew his very presence here caused a stir causing a sense of uneasiness that he was delightfully creating all around him. The idiots thought he would contract out to one of the local shipping companies, too bad for them he wasn't. How long would it take a few to cave? He didn't care but the thought put him in a good mood.

He draped a cashmere scarf around his neck before pulling a long coat over his shoulders. There was a sense of unease in this area one that set him on edge. He ran his fingers through his ink colored hair and pulled the long ponytail out from inside the coat letting it drape down his back. He stuffed a cell phone into his pocket before picking through some of the messages left for him on scraps of paper that shrilly secretary left him earlier today. He stopped at a name of a phone call with no message, a name that was not on his itinerary. Maru quietly set the message with the unknown name on the desk of the secretary of which was busy filing her nails, chewing gum and talking on a tiny cell phone at the same time. He frowned at her idleness and the god awful smell of her now bleached hair and the high pitched sound of her voice.

He tried another approach.

Picking up the paper he slammed it loudly on the steel and glass table. She leaped backwards from her chair, her phone flying off into a corner, her nail file in another direction as she leaned against a wall with her hand over her heart.

That was better.

"Now that I have your undivided attention, tell me what this is." He held up the note in her scrawled handwriting to her face.

"What… that's not even my handwriting." She leaned in furrowing her eyebrows causing her low blouse to show off everything unknowingly to him.

"So you mean to tell me that someone came up onto this floor, ruffled through your desk and found all my contacts for today and left theirs between them all?"

She took a step backwards, "I… I'm sorry Nandeska-sama it must have happened when I was at lunch or stepped away from the desk."

He noticed the lack of security in the offices when they were knocking down walls. There were large plastic tarps covering construction area's that were still being rebuilt. Anyone could hide back there, the floor was easily accessible by any elevator and there was no one save this scrawny bitch to keep other's from simply entering his office.

When she kept muttering apologies he held up a hand shutting her up and flipping his phone open speed dialing the idiot, a nervous young man answered, "Shiro, there are securities issues upstairs yank an idle engineer and send him up immediately." He shut the phone not bothering for an answer and turned to stare at the girl narrowing his eyes at her. She was taking small steps back shivering in fear of him. He frowned as he crumpled the threatening note leaving it on her desk. "Get out." The skinny thing began to sniffle as she gathered her things and ducking her head she scurried out of his presence. He could not help but grin.

Sitting at the edge of the now unoccupied desk he flipped through the stored numbers on his phone until he found the one he was looking for. A dark voice answered, "I am in need of someone competent." He listened for a moment before going on, "They must be able to be in public and have skills of trade. I want the best you've found and trained." He flipped his phone shut and closed his eyes until Shiro came out of the elevator along with what appeared to be a young boy. Maru sneered, "What is the meaning of this Shiro, I do not have time for your games."

"No game Nandeska-sam!" Shiro waved his hands, "This is Zephyr Chron…?" Shiro looked down his paper and narrowed his eyes trying to read the name.

"Just Chronos." The young boy muttered in Japanese heavily accented with European.

"Ah yes then… Chronos was fielded from the former company's foreign recruitment from England, highest marks ever out of Oxford."

Nandeska stared down at what looked to be a short teenager. His messy long hair was pulled back in a long ponytail in one of those wild colors teenagers wore these days of deep purple. He was in all black looking like some kid from a boy band, a gleaming polished collar around his neck. The boy merely stared up at him with deep hazel eyes blinking owlishly at him. "Shiro… a word." He turned and walked into his office with Shiro close behind. Once the door was closed he narrowed his eyes, "Fire this child and get me someone competent."

"But sir… Mr. Zephyr was the most sought after engineer by the former company outbidding ten companies."

Nandeska grabbed the manila folder out of Shiro's hand and opened it to read the boy's credentials. A single eyebrow rose at the long list of references and the list of projects he had control over. Structural, electrical… he was an engineer of every trade out there schooled in the United States then England in some of the most prestigious schools in the world. Closing the file he slapped it against Shiro's chest and walked out of his office. The boy was merely standing there, half his height and probably the most paid employee in this building. He nodded his head for his engineer to continue.

Chronos laid out an oversized Ipod pulling up the schematic blueprint of the floor, "On the elevator I had a chance to go over the floor plan, its crap…" For the next hour he walked through the floor and pointed out possible security threats, more so than Nandeska had thought of. Perhaps he would keep this boy's cell phone number on hand.

"Where did the secretary go?" Shiro noticed that she wasn't at her desk and the small picture of her dog was gone.

"She is no longer with us." Maru grinned thinking about the dejected look she had as he walked into the elevator. He folded his arms and bowed his head waiting to leave this place. Tonight he was feeling particularly lazy and he wanted to go home and kick his feet up. Ownership of this company had been given to him by his father not too long ago before the plane crash. There was just enough press about him to include some fake stories that were dismissed and added more mystery than fact. Plus if the stories were too false he would just send the lawyers after them. So even though he just purchased this company it was more than likely no one here, aside from the few people here he interacted with, in Tokyo knew exactly what he looked like.

Walking to his car in the underground parking lot he slipped his hand into his pocket and fished out a set of keys. It was then he felt the barrel of a gun to his back. Sighing he realized he should have had that boy go through the whole building and spot issues everywhere. He took a mental note to send that message in the morning. "I would not do that if I were you."

"You'll run to daddy if I do?"

"My father is dead." He took out his keys and draped his briefcase he had been carrying on the roof of his car. He did not have time for this nonsense. "So I am afraid I have no one to 'run' to."

"You were given a message."

"I am given many, your boss' threats mean nothing to me it is just one of many. I will not cater to any local crime organizations, I work alone."

"We'll see about that." The gun pressed against his back was shoved harder. "Now let's do this easily and I won't have to kill you."

"I doubt your boss wants me dead… you on the other hand are expendable."

"He's paying me good money to bring you in, that's all. Now we can do this quietly or not quietly."

Toying with this creature was out of the question, he was simply not in the mood. "He's paying you, means he has not paid you, which means he sent you to die."

The gang member laughed, "That would mean you'd have to take me on and I don't think you want to break one of those manicured nails."

Maru held up his hand looking at his long 'manicured nails' before grinning, "Very well then." He put up both his hands and slowly turned around to the middle aged man. He was a professional, but not intelligent if he didn't ask for the money up front. The man's eyes widened when he reached out and grabbed the wrist holding the gun holding it straight above them before squeezing tightly causing the gang member to cry out in pain. After a moment a putrid stench assaulted them and the man's eyes widened with true fear in his eyes.

He thought the target was his gun, when he reached out for his wrist it caught him completely unexpected. The target was fast, he barely saw him move. The hand gripping his wrist tightened inexplicably and he felt an overwhelming pain not of the grip but something else. He looked up staring at the man he was sent to bring back, his bangs casting a shadow over his eyes before they glowed red. "What the fuck are you!" His wrist started to burn indescribably until he could feel the melted metal of the gun trickle down his arm which sent up more searing pain. He cried out again as the man used his other hand to grab his throat squeezing it tightly as he was raised off the ground to look at the tall young CEO straight into his scarlet red eyes.

"Tell your boss that I am busy." With that he let go of the gang member's wrist dropping him to the ground. He stood up holding what remained of his arm screaming as he ran away from him. A few attendants rushed over to him as the security officers from the building began running after the culprit. He sat in his car and just turned it on. "When the police need me, I will comply with their questions." He thought for a moment, "This news does not leave here, understood?" the men nodded. He sat in his car for a moment, eyes closed, one hand clutching the top of the steering wheel so tight his long talons slicing through the rubber. A headache out of all things was coming on and reaching up with a free hand he pinched the bridge of his nose. All of this was wearing on his nerves he had spent too long in a place he cared little to nothing for except for financial status.

He merely waved off the attendants as they asked for his health and well being and drove off. He sat his chin on a fist as he was stuck in standstill traffic. Catching the rear view mirror he narrowed his eyes at the amber color before blinking his eyes seeing hazel instead and placing a pair of sunglasses on his nose. Sick of waiting he spotted a turn off the beaten path and took the small byway leading somewhere far away from this place. He eventually reached a smaller town where the buildings were not as tall, there were actual trees and the air did not seem quite as polluted. There were lanterns strung along the streets as people prepared for some type of festival. He stopped at an intersection watching idly as a few people pushed hand carts and a few middle school girls giggled past him.

He stared at the crowds before he realized he was actually staring at the girls in green and white fuku's wondering why he was doing such a thing. Only horny old men fantasized about young girls in those indecent excuses for uniforms. It was the color and design that caused him to unknowingly follow them with his eyes and absently he pulled the glasses to the tip of his nose before pulling them off completely when he spotted a face in the crowd, their eyes met and held.

Neither person recognized the other and Maru watched as she glanced away walking amongst a sea of schoolgirls not looking back at him. Something about all of that irritated him, should she recognize him… even better why did he think he recognized her? His hand gripped the steering wheel tightly and he pulled over to the side into an empty parking spot. Without thinking he got out and began to walk down the street, his eyes searching the crowd for something he couldn't explain.

After about an hour he stopped when he realized what he was doing. "Pathetic." He was searching for something that just wasn't there to begin with.

He turned, intending on heading back to his car when he stopped at the sight of a long steep set of stairs leading up to a Shinto shrine he had been standing before without realizing.

* * *

Kagome was sitting at the kitchen table long after dinner with piles of pamphlets scattered on the wood counter space of various schools across the country. She ate a roll silently as she poured over the brochures reading them and setting them aside to read another. Her mother was washing the dishes and somewhere upstairs Souta was playing one of his video games… space invaders if she heard the power ups correctly.

She reached out and touched a pamphlet with a claw and dragged it towards her, "Hm."

"What was that dear?" Akiko looked over her shoulder to see Kagome absorbed in reading.

"I was trying to figure out what school to apply to." Kagome opened up a booklet, "The prices are just out there aren't they?"

"Shouldn't you be worrying about what you're majoring in, instead of how much it costs?"

Kagome folded her arms leaning back against the wood of the chair. "I thought about history, but that's not really practical."

"Of course it is you're living in a shrine." She patted her daughter's knee. "And you were part of history remember?"

"I remember, but I don't think anyone else does." When she was crossing back and forth Kagome paid little attention to the histories and the legends regarding the Sengoku Jidai era and the Shikkon no tama. After all her grandfather overloaded her with tall tales and legends that didn't make sense. After she returned for the final time and while catching up on her studies she poured over ancient text and writings trying to find… something to no avail. She had no idea what she was looking for, but whatever it was just wasn't there. No breaking and scattering of the Shikkon, no half demons, no legends no myths… nothing. It was as though she did not exist, nor did Miroku, Sango… Shippou.

"I was thinking of business, and a minor in history." She finally muttered pointing to a school in Kyoto that was centralized around marketing, business, and everything to do with today's world.

"Oh business would be good." Akiko picked up the pamphlet and started to read, "Small classes, guaranteed internships for students with high marks majoring in business. See even the students look happy."

"Well they were probably paid to smile like that." Kagome smiled, her mother was rather naïve. "I have to write an essay regarding business and the history of it, it's for scholarship. I guess I can write about it from the warring states era through the present. I have a week lead before the other students find out about the essay topic."

"You look so nervous dear." She saw Kagome looking down at her lap wringing her sweater with her hands.

"I kind of sort of told Hojou I would go out with him on a date because he told me about it before everyone else was going to get the information."

"Isn't that the nice boy that always brought you presents when you were ill?" She watched Kagome nod her head miserably, "I'm sure you'll have a good time."

"Mom I don't like him… like in that way."

"He's no demon prince but he's a sweet boy." She stood up wiping her hands on her apron before patting her daughter on the head tucking her soft hair behind a tipped ear, "It's just a date Kagome you're not going to marry this boy after one date are you?"

"I guess you're right mom."

"Of course I am." Akiko smiled and leaned down to kiss her daughter on the forehead, "Don't stress out over this."

"Kay' mom." She whispered taking a break from finding good colleges out in the yard. There were so many things on her mind she didn't pay any heed when she felt the rush of cool air in the air or when her skin began to prickle with goosebumps. Eventually it caught her attention as she rubbed her arms vigorously. _'That's not right, it's not cold out.'_ Kagome shivered harder realizing that it wasn't very windy, it wasn't cold at all but there was just something… strange in the air. Something not right, misplaced.

Kagome slowly turned towards the god tree as time seemed to slow down, the leaves falling in the wind slowed their decent, the noise of the world around muffled down until she could hear nothing but her own heart beat and breath. Small butterflies fluttered slowly almost stilling and in the darkening skies and the god tree seemed to emanate in its own light.

Goshinboku, it was once called the Time Tree, the God Tree, in this era it was known as The Tree of Peace. But the tree did not bring her peace as it did when she was a child it brought her memories of a past that scarred her body both physically and emotionally. She could almost see Inuaysha amongst the foliage perched high in its branches hanging over the bare spot that still resided close to the base of the tree after all these years.

Distant thunder caught her attention and she blinked when the world came crashing back down around her. She held her head with the sudden onslaught of sound and smell and speed. _'What was that?'_ Whatever it was that just happened she couldn't shake the odd feeling that flooded the shrine house. The electricity of the oncoming storm was beginning to make her uneasy. She turned to head into the house but looked back over her shoulder to the god tree narrowing her eyes at it.

Kagome slid the door open to the kitchen, walked in and slid it shut. Her hand was on the handle when she reached up and latched it resting her hand on the lock. There was a darkness clouding her vision, a tenseness of her muscles and a tingling of her spine that gave her no reassurance. Her dreams, although they brought no comfort, were nothing compared to reality. She was a demon now, an apparition, an animal and with that subject to a darkness that always loomed over her shoulder, a darkness that she was too scared to go near. With all the trouble she had adjusting, changing everything to fit this… lie she had to live… she couldn't help wonder why exactly Inuyasha wished to be fully demon.

'_Power.'_

What power? In this day in age you started beating up people and not so nice people with guns come out to throw you in jail or strap you in a straight jacket.

Physical power became obsolete a long time ago.

What an idiot.

Her hand slipped off the lock and rose slightly to the latch. She watched herself latch the door and pull the bamboo screen down until the glass was completely covered. Her feet took her to the window above the sink. Kagome checked the locks and slid the screen down. _'What am I doing?'_ She thought to herself wondering why she was checking each lock and closing each window. Kagome stood at the back window and stared out in a daze. _'Keep them safe.'_ Her mind whispered and from there she couldn't stop herself from locking the rest of the house tightly, checking each window and pulling down each screen.

"Kagome?" Akiko had watched Kagome locking all the doors and shutting all the screens. She had called out to her several times but Kagome hadn't heard her which was odd the girl heard everything. "Kagome?" She said a bit louder as she walked towards Kagome. She stopped when Kagome stood at the front door, stock still standing upright her long hair trailing down past her waist in a thick heap of silver white. She neared the girl standing beside her. Akiko reached out and with a soft brush of her fingertips she touched her daughter's shoulder. "Kagome?" She did not even speak her name but mouth it gently.

She took a step back when Kagome's head snapped to the side to stare at her in a sudden movement. Akiko could only gawk as Kagome's pale blue eyes began to glow with a hint of red in the now darkened room on that expressionless calm beautiful face. She shivered at the sudden coolness in the air.

"Don't go out." Kagome whispered in a scratchy low voice too deep and too woman to be her daughter.

Akiko nodded her head, "Of course dear. Is everything alright?"

"I… I don't know." Kagome looked down at the ground furrowing her eyebrows.

"I'll let grandfather know, is that alright?"

Kagome nodded once and turned around heading towards the stairs, she stopped realizing something and looked over her shoulder towards her mother, "Thanks mom." She whispered before going up the stairs.

Akiko merely nodded her head watching her daughter walk up the stairs. She let out the breath she was holding rubbing her hands on her upper arms. Sometimes Kagome did things like this, odd things not knowing why she did them or sometimes what she did. This was the first time Kagome locked the house and barred everyone inside.

This was also the first time her daughter's eyes were that… color.

Akiko looked up to the photo that was sitting above the mantle. Kagome was eleven years old in the photograph, four years before her life changed drastically. Her daughter was not the same girl in the photo, she was different now and with that came great changes. She was no longer the girl she held in her arms during a thunderstorm, or the little girl she would read stories to even the girl who used to play adventure time outside around the shrine grounds. She was a demoness now, an immortal porcelain beauty with swirling emotions of her daughter and a strange darkness. Was she slowly losing her daughter?

Whatever was happening to her, whatever caused Kagome's body to turn into a demon was slowly turning her mind into a demon. When would she lose her little Kagome completely to this… demonic nature? Kagome had all the understanding in the world, but she needed more, something not even a mother could give. She needed help. From whom or from what? The well was sealed and Akiko would not be so kind to Inuaysha if she ever saw him gain. The only thing she could do was appease the girl when she was in 'this' state of mind and pray. It was all she could do.

* * *

Kagome stopped at Souta's door and knocked lightly. Her eyebrows furrowed when he didn't answer and she knocked with her foot none too lightly. When the door cracked open she covered her ears with the high noises the game made. "Souta."

He sighed hard obviously annoyed that she had interrupted his video game and gave a light growl of disapproval. He paused the game none too lightly pressing the button and turned around to look at her. The room smelled of cinnamon and light rain… it was the scent that was Souta. He had books, video games, clothing and random stuff on the ground in a cluttered mess. She couldn't ignore the smell of dirty socks that draped over the bed frame so she covered her nose with a hand. He was sitting with his back against the bed holding a controller in hand staring at her rolling his eyes when she covered her nose. His hair was almost long enough to be pulled back so it was messy and scattered about his face. "You're room smells."

He shook his head tossing the controller aside, "What do you want?"

Kagome glared at him. He was still pissed off about the whole _'you can't have friends overnight anymore'_ new rule of the house. Souta wasn't the only one at that 'age' and his friends sure as hell were too. Kagome had resigned herself into her bedroom when Souta invited his friends over feeling a bit agitated at the new smells and sounds of others in the house she didn't know. At night as usual she couldn't sleep and so she lay in bed against her wall looking down, letting her hair cover her eyes with her arms draped on the bedcovers. Whenever she couldn't sleep, she sort of entered into a rest 'zone' was the best way she could describe it. She was fully awake but her body was still and her breath slowed and she began to lose focus to the sounds and smells and stared into her lap falling into a sort of waking sleep.

It was around midnight when both of his little perverted friends tried to sneak into her room with a camera intending on getting… something from her. Even if she wasn't a demon she wasn't about to let some pervert into her room like that without a good beating. Luckily for them she merely broke his camera and flogged them with a pillow before Souta intervened. Whatever she did sure scared the shit out of his friends. Eventually she had to call his parents and give them an explanation as to how their camera was broken which of course didn't sit right with them. _'He's in that stage of life!'_

Yes well even that shouldn't be an excuse to sneak into girls bedrooms.

Souta lost two friends that day and since then he'd been giving her the cold shoulder though she suspected his attitude towards her had changed after she confessed her lifespan. But it wasn't time for him to ignore her, she knew there was something wrong and she had to protect her family. "Do not go outside, okay?"

"What!" Souta stood up screeching in indignation. "I was going to go to the arcade!"

She was covering her ears hard at his yelling wondering if he got louder or her hearing became more acute. "Souta!" She finally let go of her ears shaking her head at the reverberating sound. "Just listen to me, please don't go out."

"I know you're an _'immortal'_ demon and everything but you don't run the damn house and you don't run me!" He didn't notice his sister going stock still bowing her head covering her eyes with her thick bangs. Kagome just got weirder and weirder all the time. Dinner was always a nightmare he couldn't have friends over anymore, there was no loud music allowed, there was no more television downstairs unless it was really low volume, everyone had to walk on eggshells… There were so many rules on the house he was getting sick and tired. Sure she was cool and did neat things and breaking bricks and jump a thousand feet in the air but… she was a demon and ever since she turned 15 the family became weird and people in school started talking. "I have a life too Kagome!"

"You're staying here." She whispered softly.

"Who died and made you king?" He stilled when all the hairs on the back of his neck suddenly rose. She tilted her head up just a little looking at him through white bangs with deep crimson colored eyes. Her hair began to whip around and he took a step back at the odd frozen wind that came out of nowhere.

"Don't. go. Out." She whispered before taking a step back and shutting the door to his room lightly. Souta put a hand over his heart and fell to his knees.

* * *

He slowly ascended the stairs reaching to the top looking around the simple shrine once he was at the apex. There was a shrine house and a few surrounding simple buildings completed at various times by the looks of the architecture. It was quiet and still despite the busy street below and somehow the air seemed… clean.

The shrine itself held no interest to him the shrines were nothing more than affirmation in a mortal belief of things that didn't exist. It had once given people purpose, insomuch that some would turn fanatical to the belief system imposed by a few manipulators of an all powerful being. He did not want to be comforted in believing there was a 'creator', he believed in practicality, in the today and the now rather than faith. His father fiercely believed in self discipline and thus so shall he. Even so, seeing this place detached from the world around he found himself reminiscing in the past walking towards a massive oak that had oddly enough caught his attention.

He had the overwhelming desire to touch it, to physically acknowledge its presence. This was no ordinary tree it seems. The closer he came the more he realized it emanated its own power, unlocking part of his mind unused and hidden away for so very long. Deep inside he countered the energy with a surge of his own force, nails lengthening, knee length black hair bleeding away like ink revealing very pale colored hair, ears elongating and a shade of colored stripes bleeding through his skin. He was vaguely aware of everything else around him, tunnel vision alone to the tree. Before he reached the flimsy rope cord that kept visitors away he noticed something not right, a dark glow that was eerily beckoning to him, calling his name.

His now heightened sense of smell picked up a soft scent of ice and flowers that broke his attention from the tree and he turned around realizing someone was here… someone with an elevated amount of holy power.

A primal growl emanated from the back of his throat as he felt the static charged air around him clashing with his own aura. A door slamming shut caught his attention off guard and he turned around to see the screen inside of the door swaying. The charged air dissipated but it still left him with a sense of uneasiness.

He was reminded of a time when Buddhist monks and Shinto priests walked the countryside freed of the concrete towers that now surrounded him. Some were powerful creatures felling demons of high caliber, others were not. It was a sort of balance of power, natural so to speak. It was not until the boats came with the Christian Priests and Monks that the trouble began preaching their one true god and almost brutally punishing those that did not convert to this new religion that did not belong here. It was they who started the wars, the brutality of carnage and the holy warriors that declared war on the 'impure' demons.

The era of Holy Cleansing began.

No one was immune to this no one could oppose the tyranny they brought forth like a band of fanatical berserkers raising their flag of the one true god as a means to justify the brutality they created. The atrocities they brought with them begun and the hierarchy flipped placing the weak at the top of the evolutionary chain. It did not go without notice. The warlords, tired of being second to demon lords that claimed their lands banded together, hired these Christian mercenaries and created armies, not of samurai but of priests and crusaders. The samurai cast their weapons, the warlords bowed to the new god so they could take the lands. They scorched entire forests, massacred every demon and even villages that would not convert and spared none. The monks and priestesses were driven back, shrines burned, desecrated and destroyed. Even gods that protected forests, villages, water… all were marked and massacred. The crimes of humanity escalated and it became sanctioned genocide.

Only the strongest survived if that, those who could hide well survived, the rest… tortured, experimented upon, even raped before killed.

Through the years as the threat of demons decreased came the decline of the holy powers. There was no need to train, no need to tap into that dormant power until it was all about erased from humanity. Those who called themselves holy in this day of age were nothing more than representations of their religious beliefs rather than a need for their power.

The same wretched fate befell the demons that had survived the Holy Cleansing and survived or were even born into this era. They became weak creatures with little use of their own power that too eventually faded away. Ancient youkai, true youkai, powerful taiyoukai from the past were a rarity, tagged by groups and some gelded so they were not allowed to breed. Others were bred to the human populace, again and again until the demonic blood was eventually overpowered by the weaker human blood and time faded them away from existence.

So to feel such a power, one that brought the end of demon kind and stripped them of every title held bothered him greatly.

This place… it held secrets.

Eyes narrowed into slits, he felt the primal need to kill something.

The vibration of his cell caused him to snap out of his morbid state of mind. He reached into his pocket and pulled out the tiny electronic flipping it open, "Speak." The dark voice whispered back to him and he raised a brow at the swiftness of the response to his inquiry. "They are to begin immediately." He shut the phone not waiting for an answer, explanation or even wanting to know whom they sent.

He closed his eyes rubbing the bridge of his nose realizing he had a great deal of things to do and only a limited amount of time to do them in. This place can keep its secrets for now… it would have to wait for now. When he opened his eyes they were once again a dark hazel, long silvery hair was once again deep black and in an instant demon became human.

He slowly walked down the stairs and disappeared in the crowd full of humans.

* * *

"Mom?" Souta looked down the stairs to see his grandfather on the recliner dozing off with a massive old book on his chest and his mother quietly reading the paper.

She looked up at her son who was slowly walking down the steps and smiled, "What is it Souta?"

"What's going on?" He asked as he walked down the stairs.

"Kagome wanted us to stay here." Akiko saw her son fold his arms irritably, "I know things have changed a lot Souta, we have more rules than anyone else and we have to learn to adapt."

"But mom!"

She slapped the newspaper on the couch forcibly causing Grandpa to snort and wake up from his nap and Souta to leap backwards. "Whatever sacrifices we have to endure is nothing compared to how Kagome has to deal with the problem of suddenly turning into something she never was. Its unnatural, it's not right and as she would say, 'it's unfair.'"

Souta was sitting on his bed against the wall tossing a bean bag up in the air catching it a few times. He frowned tossing the bean bag aside and letting out a sigh running his fingers through his long bangs. He forgot how hard it must be for Kagome, she wasn't really _'demon'_ material to begin with, she was… insanely girlish, she slept in a pink room, talked with her friends on the phone and was always squealing about girly stuff like Hello Kitty.

Now she didn't have friends other than her weird friend Kikyou that was shorter than he was and looked like Kagome when she was still human, she was always quiet and locked up in her room and never went out anymore. Whatever Inuyasha did to her beside the whole demon thing really changed her.

He stood up walking to her room through the open door noticing she was not there. He saw her bathroom door open and the shower running. Souta reached the door waving the fog of steam aside to shut it thinking Buyo may have opened it for her but stilled when he saw her silhouette sitting in the shower. "Kagome." He whispered walking into the bathroom knocking lightly so she heard him in case she was… not decent. There were no clothes on the ground, no towels, none of her frilly girl shampoo. He put a hand to the shower curtain, "Kagome?" When she said nothing he lightly pushed aside the curtain to see her lying in the tub fully clothed, arms wrapped around her knees as she stared blankly forward as the water poured down on her.

Souta turned the water off and knelt beside the tub draping an arm on her shoulder leaning her towards him. He closed his eyes when she rested her head against his and breathed deeply going lax in his arm falling asleep.


	16. Sixteen

He walked down the hallway passing massive red oak doors, walls adorned with elaborately carved wood and domed ceiling with crystalline chandeliers. Reaching into his coat pocket he pulled out the gold key as he neared the double doors to the penthouse he had rented during the duration of his stay in this god forsaken city. The key slipped in the lock and upon entering he caught sight of the silver bucket filled with ice and an open bottle of champagne.

Walking deeper into the dark suite he neared the living area, the woman's silhouette was outlined against the dark room and city lights. In the darkness he could make out the color of her hair, the way the dress clung tightly to her body. She slowly turned around and in hand she had two glasses of champagne. Her brown eyes searched for him in the darkness and he began to hear the quickening of her heart at being unable to see him.

After a brief moment of silence she spoke out, "Compliments of the hotel" as she held out one glass of champagne waiting for him to come to her and take it. He did not speak, nor made a move to her beckoning him almost in a sneer at having an 'onna' want him to come to her. She gulped silently, her confidence in herself fading for a moment before she neared him, slowly and seductively. She stood a foot before him in silent awe at his height she found his hand in the darkness and placed the glass in it, "I am complimentary as well." She walked past him, setting her glass on the table as she reached back lowering the zipper to her gown before disappearing into his bedroom.

He set his glass on the table pausing for a moment before he slipped his jacket off tossing it on the couch walking to his bedroom.

_**Chapter 16) Blood Red**_

Kagome stared at herself in the mirror, "I must be going nuts."

The problem was not only going on this so called 'date' with Hojou but the fact that she didn't bother to try on any of her furisodes before. The first thing on her mind when she came back home in this… form was not to try on every article of her clothing to make sure they fit anymore. The last thing she would even think of needing was another kimono. It was her grandfather who came up with the idea and here she stood staring at herself wearing the red and white garbs of a shrine maiden. "I **am** going nuts."

She sighed realizing she was speaking to her reflection in the mirror who of course wouldn't answer her question. She gave up realizing she _had_ to wear this thing and carefully combed her hair pulling two strands on either side of her face in the traditional style before securing it with a ribbon taking caution to make sure her ears were covered properly. Taking a step back she slipped her tabi covered feet into her shoes and looked in the mirror. She had worn this before, in the warring era. It was clear that wearing this bothered Inuyasha a great deal, and being as she was often accused of being the dead priestess Kikyou she started refusing to wear it. It gave her a sense of individuality wearing her school uniform. Her petal white colored face was surrounded by silvery white hair held in the traditional style of a shrine maiden, her blue eyes, black lashes and liner and blood lips being the only contrast of color. Gone was any resemblance of Kikyou of the past replaced by something… inhuman. She watched herself reach up to fix part of her hair that was crooked. The action was slow and methodical setting her hands on her armoire she closed her eyes and turned away from the mirror.

"Are you going to wear that for your date with Hojou?"

Kagome let out a really loud aggravated sigh whirling around and chucking a soft pillow towards her brother.

He ducked but not fast enough to escape the cotton death being knocked over by the soft object. He instantly took a mental note not to upset the demon. Kagome slammed the door to her room but not before giving him a glare. Souta groaned miserably and looked up to see Kikyou staring down at him with curious dark eyes. When did she get here? His eyes widened and he blushed realizing she was in her school uniform which of course consisted of a short skirt and he was looking… well. He scrambled to his feet rubbing the back of his head with a hand in nervous gesture. "Don't go in there she's in a bad mood."

Kikyou watched Souta laugh nervously and inch away from her towards his bedroom. He disappeared into his room and slammed the door shut. She cocked her head to the side giving his door a confused look before she walked into Kagome's room seeing the girl sitting on the edge of her bed, face flustered, hands gripping the red cloth of her outfit.

Kagome looked over to Kikyou who was standing at the doorframe staring at her. "I don't know why I'm doing this. I mean he's my ex best friends… ex…. I guess."

"Did you get that essay done?"

Oh yes… the very reason why she had agreed to this whole fiasco to begin with. "I have to proof read it but other than that it's done." She motioned to the neat folder on the desk, "I stayed up a week straight just researching." She nibbled her rose colored lips nervously wondering if this would be enough to get that scholarship hoping her sacrifice of a date was worth the effort. Of course Kikyou wasn't coming with her but that would make this whole transaction easier.

She heard the bell ring downstairs and her heart about sank when her mother called up to her, "Kagome, Hojou is here!" Kagome looked up to Kikyou to give her a glare but blinked when she realized the girl was not here anymore, she didn't even hear her walk out. Kagome walked out of her room awaiting her impending doom.

He stood in the living room talking to her mother in a dark blue kimono with several layers of various lighter shades underneath wearing a printed robe over the whole thing. For a moment he looked like the Hojou she met five hundred years ago. She sighed softly this was just a date it wasn't as though she hadn't been on one before with Hojou. Her mother was right just one date didn't mean she was going to marry him she was just going out with a friend to a festival. She descended the stairs and stood behind her mother watching Hojou finally noticing her. "Ready?"

Her mother smiled and patted her shoulder making sure to tell them to have fun and not come home late.

'_Don't worry about that mom I'll be back way early.'_

* * *

From the second floor Kikyou stared down at the awkward couple leaving. One clearly was uncomfortable going and one clearly was uncomfortably happy they were. She knew Hojou from school they spent a great deal of time together in the library as he tutored her for a mentor program in school. That was literally the only reason that the school even allowed her enrollment as she had to take third grade up to high school. He was patient to a point and would always rub the back of his neck when he became nervous. There was nothing wrong with him, she didn't consider him anything but a boy who tutored her although he had at one time tried to flirt with her and she put a stop to that with an angry glare while slamming the book on his hand. Aside from that incident he reminded her of an overexcited puppy.

Kikyou looked over to Souta who had come out of his room standing next to her sneering the entire time. "You don't like him."

"I'm not eight anymore, I know that look."

Kikyou had noticed that as well, it was subtle but there. He was not only enamored with Kagome but sometimes he would have darkness in his eyes whenever he looked at her friend. "Who is Inuyasha?" She asked turning to stare at him when he tensed and gripped the railing harder.

After a moment Souta answered, "I used to call him brother." Angry tears formed in the corner of his eyes. "Not anymore, not after what he did to her." He released the railing and took a step backwards. Kagome didn't exactly say what happened to her, why she came back a demon, why she came back a dirty mess covered in blood, she didn't even explain how exactly she was turned into a demon. It left everyone wondering but they could never really ask her even after all this time. For the first week after she came home she didn't speak a word. Then… nothing. No one spoke his name in the house and sometimes he would catch her staring at the door of the now sealed well house in silence for hours on end, sometimes in the middle of the night when she couldn't sleep. She never smiled anymore she still had trouble looking in the mirror.

There were things she did, unexplainable things that didn't make sense. She couldn't eat food without going a bit wild, and she was restless at times, so much so that she would sleep outside or run as fast as she could. She scared him sometimes, she truly frightened him. It was truly unfair to her, Kagome didn't deserve this. After everything she had done, after everything she had gone through, everything _**HE**_ put her through she didn't deserve this. "He killed her." His answer had more than one meaning.

Kikyou stared, cocking her head to the side opening her mouth to say something but shutting it when she couldn't really find the questions. Silently she followed Souta into his bedroom watching as he leaned against the wall sliding down to the ground positioning his elbows on his knees bowing his head hiding his eyes behind a curtain of ebony bangs.

"Under the dresser."

She kneeled on the carpeted floor and found a small worn book under the dresser.

"She threw it out… I got it out of the garbage." He looked at Kikyou who was just staring at him, "I thought that you shouldn't throw something like that away, I mean she did travel through time and defeat demons." He looked down at his hands blushing a bit feeling guilty about taking her diary and reading some of it… well most of it. He skipped over the mushy parts… some of them. Reading through her eyes he really got to know the people she traveled with, it was so much more than her explanations when she came home and hit the books for school. Souta felt he really got to know the Houshi Miroku-dono, the demon slayer Sango, and the small fire fox Shippou. Yet he also knew how deep his sister's feelings ran for Inuyasha, you couldn't tell the way they fought all the time but there was a turning point where she realized she really loved him. Then he couldn't read anymore, the rest of the book is a mystery to him and will remain that way. "Don't read it." When Kikyou paused to stare at him with a raised eyebrow he blushed again looking away from her eyes, "Only one of us should be in trouble."

She flipped through the pages with a few pictures taped and glued into the diary. Kikyou stopped at the photo of Kagome it always struck her whenever she saw these photos. But her attention then shifted to the aggravated looking man in red with snowy white hair and what looked like ears resting on the top of his head. She knew that Kagome was… a demon but she looked normal enough minus a few details to pass for human unlike this man with extra appendages. "Demon?" She finally asked.

"Half demon."

"Half demon." She whispered never even conceiving the idea as she placed a finger over the glossy photo. "This is him, Inuyasha?"

"There was love there." Souta whispered, "I saw it, I saw _them_." He hit his knee in frustration, "He loved her Kikyou he _**loved**_ her."

She realized that Souta didn't know what happened between them. In that case neither did her mother and Kagome only said enough to keep everyone in the dark. "He killed her?"

"Have you seen her back?"

Kikyou looked past his eyes as she remembered something after gym class, Kagome would say nothing of it and she did not ask. She gave Souta a nod.

"No human could have survived that wound. He killed her, she won't outright say it but I know it… so I hate them, all of them."

Kikyou looked down at the photo and furrowed her eyebrows not understanding. Souta said there was love here, so what happened? She wagered before this incident Kagome was an open book like this diary, easy to read her emotions and thoughts the way Souta described how she used to act. Something must have come between them, someone perhaps? "What happened?"

"I don't know Kikyou, I just don't know." He looked at the slight distress in her face which was odd for his sisters weird friend, "Hey, you alright?"

Kikyou blinked and touched her face realizing she was crying.

* * *

He had a headache.

A hand went to his right temple touching it lightly with two fingers smoothing the internal pain by rubbing the area in circles. Someone bowed and said something along the lines of 'welcome' or whatnot and he didn't even bother to respond. The ring of the elevator seemed twice as loud today, he winced as he entered the metal death chamber. He began the morning in a foul mood, the stench of sex and booze still lingering the malodorous air, he was even fouler during the afternoon when he downed an entire bottle of Wild Turkey to calm his nerves after having the police come by his penthouse and get his report of the assassination attempt on his person. It seemed like they were invading his privacy and he disliked their inefficiency entirely.

He made it intently clear to the workers that he was in no humor for pleasantries a single glare had them gulping in fear. That was the only highlight of his morning aside from kicking out the whore without allowing her to get dressed.

When the elevator rang that he was on the top floor he grimaced at the annoying sound putting a hand to his forehead. Aspirin, he needed a whole bottle. When he exited he halted at the sight of a rather tall thin woman that stood in his path staring at him intently with sky blue eyes through small framed glasses resting on her pale face. Her long wild black hair was pulled back in a low bun. The pinstripe short suit she wore hugged her figure tightly as she stood tall in leather black heels carrying a small clipboard in hand. He stared wondering if she was 'complimentary.' He had just about enough of the gratis.

"I have been waiting all day for your arrival _sir_." She said in a very deep voice adding the 'sir' part with a bit of annoyance.

His mind finally kicked in and he realized she was the one sent by the agency as he had requested. He nodded his head once that he understood what she was and who she was and where she came from. He watched her sniff the air lightly and sneer at him taking a small step away from him apparently not liking the smell of fornication and alcohol.

"My transfer papers from the agency." After a moment of her staring she handed him a sealed letter holding it between her talons.

He took the envelope and opened it sparing it little glance. She handed him the clipboard and a pen and he signed by the appropriate date confirming that she had indeed come to work. He found it odd she had to check in every day with him like some sort of parole officer but she was more than obligated to comply with the agency's wishes. She would have to give reports to her handlers every day until the six month contract expired, from there he could renegotiate her contract or send her back.

It reminded him of a car lease.

Silently he passed by her and the woman followed closely behind him, her stilettos clicking on the ground being the only sound in the room until she lost her footing and fell over.

"Fucking heels." She murmured under her breath wanting nothing more than to throw them out the window. "Who the fuck invented these anyway?" She fixed her glasses and stood up brushing off her suit. She glared at her boss thinking he found her blight with clothing amusing but stilled when she saw his hazel eyes giving her a very slight hint of pity. Why… why was he looking at her like that? She clutched the clipboard to her chest and looked away.

He stopped at the large red oak desk that was previously used by the former secretary motioning with the nod of his head that this was to be her station. He was about to walk into his office and down a bottle of pills when he stopped mildly curious about one thing, "How did you survive?" She tensed at his words.

"I was sealed."

Maru nodded his head. The humans must have disturbed the barriers of the wardings just recently then. He had not heard about this demoness in an extremely long time figuring she had perished like most of them had. "How long?"

"I have been awake for a… how do you call it?" She thought for a moment folding her arms furrowing her brow, "A year."

"Are you trained?"

She pinned his back with a glare, "I have been _domesticated_." She watched him turn around and stare at her again from the edge of his nose giving her that look of pity again only in his eyes, his face was always and has always been unreadable. She cleared her throat uncomfortable in his presence after all these years, "So why am I here?" She finally asked with a slight edge of anger in her words.

He leaned against the desk folding his arms looking out the window favoring the view of the city from outside the window even though it was nothing more than smog and buildings. "Do not flatter yourself."

She snorted as she took her clip board and slammed it on the desk. The man before her didn't even flinch at the loud sound that reverberated off the walls. "My _lord_ honestly doesn't take me as a fool does he?" She held up a hand with her fingers spanned out and began ticking away folding a finger down with her other hand with every name she said, "The youngest heir of Taiyoukeiki Corp… Maru-sama, son of Oshari-sama, son of Hiraku-sama, son of Kami only knows who else." Placing a fist at her hip she glared as he did not even bother to spare her a glance, "I may have been sealed for almost four hundred years but do not expect me ignorant of recognizing the aura of my former enemy…"

She hissed his name, "Lord _**Sesshoumaru**_."

He finally turned his head slowly and looked down at her with his penetrating citrine eyes finally acknowledging what she already felt to be true. The agency perhaps did not bother to do their history or perhaps Sesshoumaru had them all fooled. Either way she would have never worked willingly for a man she had clashed swords with.

It was over five hundred years ago, long before the evil known as Naraku became a blight upon Japan. The taiyoukai known as Inutaisho and her great father had clashed forces ending in a stalemate after forty nights of fighting. Long after the great lords died she had taken arms again with her brother and sisters and armies to fight against the dog general's son, Sesshoumaru. Another forty nights of fighting and once again their armies were at a stalemate with great losses to both sides. It was after she had fought Sesshoumaru and Inuyasha that she retreated into the west for a hundred years until the Holy Cleansing came for her. The massacre of her kin left her weak and in that state the human lords that had always been trying to kill her finally caught her and the monks threw her into a chamber and sealed her burying her under a shrine. She disappeared from the world for over four hundred years only to be unsealed by a bunch of humans. By their confused looks at finding a naked woman alive in a tomb she did the only thing she could after being sealed away for so long, she ran and ran hard. The land was unfamiliar, the smells were foreign and the stench of toxins was thick in the air. The forests were dead, the land dead and this place was overrun with millions upon millions of humans. The last of the greater demons hunted her down, found her and forced her to conform.

She couldn't fight this life anymore she had seen the destruction of her clan… her precious family and now of her race. She was part of an endangered species that would soon fade away into nothingness. This was the end of times for those of their kind and they had to adapt or else die away like the stories mothers would read to their children in order to frighten them into submission. Humans were not afraid the darkness had been lit, the magic completely gone. To be here in this place working for what used to be one of her greater enemies… would have been utter humiliation but as their time had come and gone so had the anger and the resentment. She must be here, she had nowhere else.

"**They** chose you…" He finally spoke. "…Toran."

She snorted at the sound of her own name that sounded odd coming from Sesshoumaru out of all people. "Toran is dead Sesshoumaru, just like you?" She looked at him and he looked away from her not bothering to answer that question. She sat down beside him on the desk and held the clipboard to her chest as she looked out the window. She had to understand her place in the world now. She wanted to scream out and hide in her precious forest but it was all gone now. She had to be protected lest she become the hunted or the agency locked her away because she was too feral for 'domestic society.'

If she had to be with Sesshoumaru so be it. Somehow being here with him brought a sense of comfort from the complete necropsy of this new world. Time it seems was not good to him either, the stench of cocktail and sex with a human told her more than she wanted to know about the decline of his pride. Even speaking his real name caused him to tense as he looked at her with slight rage in his eyes. She hugged her arms around herself looking down to the ground finally submitting to him, to this, to everything. "I give up Sesshoumaru, you win." She whispered so softly.

"The war is long over."

She opened her mouth to say something but decided to be quiet when his eyes clouded over to their original shade of hazel as he once again turned giving her his profile folding his arms looking out the window. She thought something was odd about him aside from his human appearance and realized he had two arms once again. She thought better of asking him and turned her head to look out the window as well. The two of them stood there, once proud taiyoukai reduced to hiding in plain sight of those beneath them. "How did Lord Sesshoumaru survive?" She found herself wondering asking the same question he asked of her.

Sesshoumaru said nothing, just reached into his pocket pulling out a note card leaving it on her desk before quietly walking into his office.

She raised an eyebrow at his silence._ Impertinent whelp._ Reading the note card she found a list of tasks she was supposed to be over ignoring the sound of the elevator door opening. They were rather menial tasks but she wagered the demon lord did not want a human invading his personal agendas or his space for that matter. An odd task stood out and she frowned, "What pray tell is a 'Shiro'?" She wondered aloud but found he was already in his office with the door closed.

"Um… that would be me?"

She turned and stared at the fairly young human that was staring at her with wide eyes and a red tint to his cheeks. "What do I have to do to…" She looked at her note card, "… keep you in line?"

Shiro's eyes grew more impossibly wide before he mouthed _'thank you kami.'_

* * *

"I… well I know you lived in a shrine but…" Hojou finally broke the silence as they slowly walked down the long steep staircase of the shrine. He was nervously smiling at the quiet girl who turned her head and gave him a confused look. He motioned her clothing choice and she whispered a soft, 'oh.'

"Gramps always wanted me to be a priestess and take over the shrine." Kagome had to smile in retrospect at her precious jii-chan. He would always come home with the most outrageous stuff, things that Buyo wouldn't touch. Really shrine stuff was boring she couldn't even keep her gods straight. But her grandfather always made everything so interesting, what with kappa feet and a pigs ear he swore was a mummified god.

"Well that makes you look like a real shrine maiden."

She laughed, "I am one."

Hojou stopped walking when she said that and stared realizing that he never really got to know Kagome. She stopped a few steps ahead of him and looked over her shoulder staring at him with icy colored eyes. He smiled remembering something and the girl furrowed her eyebrow cocking her head to the side in silent question, "I remember when you moved in all those years ago, I wanted to help."

Kagome giggled and turned around clasping her hands behind her back, "You dropped a box with my mom's favorite china set."

Hojou blushed darkly rubbing the back of his head with a hand as they finally descended the stairs, he watched her stop, stiffen and sniff the air a few times in surprise. He was worried that some of her old illnesses would resurface because he did not want to end this… night quite yet. She blushed a bit at her reaction and began walking again he jogged a bit easily catching up to walk beside her in the streets that were full of people, lots of twinkling lights and street vendors. The fabric of her loose sleeve brushed past his skin giving him goose bumps. He watched the way she walked, those long legs barely noticeable in the loose clothing of her hakamas. Her face was pale and her silver sheen of hair caught the twinkling lights around them. She was busy looking up at the decorations in content awe not noticing the way people turned their heads to stare at her, some shrugging their shoulders as though she was in costume. He gulped a bit in revere knowing his shiver and goose bumps were not reactions to the cold… hell it wasn't cold at all.

"I remember when I moved here." She whispered softly, her mind's wandering's unknowingly askew to her companions. She went back to a time when they lived in Kyoto in a tiny apartment. Her mother had long hair back then, she was a teacher who taught Japanese to foreign exchange students and worked long hours. The night was dark and cold and it was raining when a young policeman with long dark bushy hair came to the door with a grim expression even worsened by the sight of a pregnant woman and her young daughter bearing the bad news that changed their lives forever. He said a few words which caused her mother to pale, he held her hand as she needed assistance sitting down and he stayed patting her hand as she cried in a way Kagome never heard anyone cry before. The young officer knelt in front of Kagome taking off his hat and staring right at her with intense dark eyes and told her the truth, her father would not come home anymore… he said he was sorry and even held her as she cried. He came to the funeral, sometimes stopped by to make sure they were alright and even helped her mother with putting their things in the moving van. She still remembered his kind eyes. One could live a thousand lives and rarely come across someone like that.

That was around the time her mother cut off her lovely hair.

"You're quiet, did I say something wrong?"

She shook her head, the revere broken by the realization she was currently on a semi date. "No, it's fine… I just remembered my dad."

Hojou stared at her for a bit, the two of them walking through the chaos and fun of the festivities as she felt so nostalgic. "What was he like?"

Kagome smiled remembering her father, "He liked to play airplane with me, pick me up and spin me around. I really thought I could fly." A hand reached up over her lips covering her fanged smile.

"So, you look like him now with the… hair?"

Oh. She shook her head. No last time she remembered her father wasn't a white haired demon. Though she did realize just then and there he had strikingly ocean blue eyes, which she did not have and now she does. "I have his eyes." She whispered softly wondering if the wayward wish actually was something not beyond her control to some extent, she always loved his eyes. "Souta… he used to look a lot like my mom but he's looking like my father." She continued half glancing at his expectant eyes. Kagome exhaled loudly, "Sorry Hojou-kun I didn't mean to be so dark tonight."

He shook his hands in front of him, "I'm just glad you're here with me… I mean here as in we're just being friends and walking down the street talking not really on a date just talking."

Kagome had to take a step to the side as he was flailing his arms about all over the place.

That's when he realized something, "Demo but where is Kikyou?"

"She had things to do." Kagome lied not knowing what else to say.

"I see." So they were alone… and now they were quiet… and now it was awkward.

He cleared his throat a bit and Kagome turned to look at him wondering what else to say, this really was discomfited. "How are your parents and the store?" She watched as Hojou's expression lit up and he began a tirade of things they stocked on the shelves at the herbal store that would help for all the ailments he thought she had. She half listened to his speech about the wonders of Noni Juice half looking over her shoulder to the vendor stands selling all sorts of cooked meats and food. Unconsciously she licked her lips unaware that the colors slowly began to fade away and the sounds around her began to dull away until all she heard was the sound of her own slow heartbeat speeding faster and faster.

"Kagome?"

No, there was another heartbeat. She vaguely heard her own name as she turned her head to the man standing beside her. It was as though he was fading his skin slowly went translucent and she could see the red blood of his veins and the quickening of his heart. He smelled different, not like the other humans but elated, spicy. She looked up to his face and stared at his hazel colored eyes that stood out amongst the colorless haze. She needed something, her own body hot and cold and itchy with need. Kagome searched her mind to find a rational explanation but found nothing, her mind had just shut down and let instinct take over. "Naibou." She whispered his first name in a soft whispered sigh.

Hojou's eyes widened when she said his name… like that. He had no idea if this was 'the spark' everyone talked about. But the one word she said caused his knees to weaken, his heart to flutter and his breath to catch. Before he could say anything her lips were firmly against his. His eyes widened at how unabashed this was… and in front of a crowd to boot! His mind began reeling with questions as he had completely frozen on the spot, _'Should I hold her? What should I do now? What the heck is she doing!'_ Her kiss turned from the simple touch of lips to forceful and painful and he almost fell backwards instead he lost his balance a bit and took a step back unfortunately breaking the rather rough embrace.

That was completely not what he expected a kiss from Kagome would be, he thought… well he planned to be the instigator and for it to be different. Did she… did she stick her tongue in his mouth? He put a hand to his bruised lips wondering what to say now…

When he finally looked at her his breath was taken away. The loose ends of her snow hair fluttered about, the darkness of the changing sky cast a dark shadow on her _angry_ face. Something under his skin itched and he felt all the hairs on the back of his neck rise. Something inside screamed at him to run but he didn't understand the instinctual impulse in humans that gained atrophied after the past five hundred years. Was it the lights that cast such an eerie glow to her eyes? This wasn't right, none of this was right… and what was this liquid on his lips? He looked down to check his fingers and was surprised to see blood on his fingertips. Did he do that when he took a step back? _'I must have hurt her no wonder she was angry.'_

He looked up to her wondering if his misstep had hurt her as well…

…but she was gone.

* * *

"No way!" She screeched as she held tightly to his shirt, "Not here it's a kid's park!"

The teenage boy gave her a glare, "Come on, everyone's at the festival." He pointed up at the lights, "It's almost dark no one's going to see us." When she crossed her arms he let out a sigh, "Where's your sense of adventure?"

"I used to play here as a kid. Let's do this somewhere else."

"You're not scared are you?" He gave her a grin.

The girl looked around nervously, "Not here. Come on not here. It's creepy."

He let out a sigh and in a very frustrated male action tried to grasp the last bait he could. He took her hands and held it tightly looking seriously into her eyes, "But Alia I love you so much."

She looked doubtful for a second before giving into his serious gaze, "Oh that's so sweet."

"I just want to be with you forever, don't you love me too?"

The young girl gave in to his pleading, "Alright, as long as no one sees and my parents DO NOT find out."

He took her hand and let her to a secluded area between some dense bushes before producing some herbs and rolling it into crudely made joints. The dark cloud of toxic mist hung over them for a few minutes before they were coughing, giggling and laughing. After awhile the teenagers stared at each other before pressing their lips together lying down on the grass.

"We're going to be in so much trouble if my mom finds out." She whispered giggling madly.

"Good thing she isn't here."

The girl smiled then looked over his shoulder and froze in his embrace, her eyes widening in horror.

"What is it?" He turned to see a dark figure looming over them, crimson eyes glowing in the dark.

Two ravens flew down and sat on a nearby tree to rest before leaping away when a shrill scream cut through the night air.


	17. Seventeen

Everything was silent save a faint buzz sound ringing in her ears.

Her body moved on its own, her mind in a fog unable to wake from it. Slowly her feet took her up the neverending stairs. She winced when the flood lights turned on blinding her momentarily. In a flash of fabric claws swiped at the offending lights breaking the glass into tiny pieces. Rubbing her eyes she slid the back door open and crept inside the dark house. Her eyes glowed in the low light, seeing everything clearly but in a green haze. She ascended the stairs in the living room and placed her hand on the door to her room walking inside and closing it shut. Her body was running on its own, taking off her haori and hakamas placing them in a somewhat neat pile on the hamper before wrapping herself in her shorts and shirt sitting down at her dresser grabbing a brush to comb out her long silvery hair. She stared blankly at her reflection in the mirror into her crystalline blue eyes before her mind noticed something 'off' with what she was seeing. She furrowed her eyebrows, hand setting down the brush as her mind registered what she was seeing. Leaning forward Kagome saw two streaks of red from her lips to her chin contrasting greatly from her pale skin.

She blinked, her mind coming out of whatever fog it was in earlier as she touched the red lines watching it smear against her chin. Kagome looked down at her fingers and stared at the thick red liquid that smelled like copper. Like a bucket of ice water that was poured on your face from sleep everything around her suddenly came back into focus, the sounds, the sights, even the color. She gasped realizing the coppery smell wasn't just in scent but in taste as well. In an instant she was in the bathroom spitting into the sink. Her eyes spotted the toothbrush and she grabbed it roughly brushing her teeth eventually with a whole bottle of toothpaste finishing with mouthwash.

Her mind was screaming, _'no no no no no no no no No NO!'_

She looked at her clean hands and felt the need to wash them again, then again, then again until the little bar of soap dissolved away. Hot tears fell down her cheeks as she kept washing her hands scrubbing them until they hurt, leaning against the wall she slipped down to the ground and wrapped her arms around her knees resting her hands on them crying loudly. What had she done!

'_Stop denying what you are, you're a demon now. You are me and I am you.'_

Dreams had a way of manifesting themselves into reality. Kagome knew she was walking a fine line between her humanity and the demon nature in her. These feelings, these urges within were foreign to her psyche. She thought she could control these needs but how could she really when she didn't even know what it is she needed. She had not explored her demonic nature, frightened of the consequences it would bring to both herself and her family. In doing such she only locked it away and the pressure finally gave way shoving her already precariously balanced control aside. She looked up realizing the last thing she remembered was walking with Hojou. Her eyes widened at the thought that she had done something to him but there was more in her memory… she ran… into the woods… from there she could not recollect anything. Had she harmed Hojou, even worse… had she …

Her talons dug into her knees as she looked up shivering in fear.

She couldn't face him, she couldn't face this.

"**MAMA!"**

To Wash it all Away

Seventeen.

"Did you hear, some students got attacked last night at the park?"

She placed her hand on the door of her locker and looked at the girls passing behind her from the corner of her eyes. Everyone had been whispering the 'rumor' all day long adding bits here and there, omitting things and twisting the story around. Someone in gym said they were attacked by a bear while someone else said the attack was an illusion because the two were smoking pot. It was hard to believe what was true and what was not. The only truth was the yellow tape sectioning off where the 'attack' took place and the small group of officers looking for clues.

Kikyou shut the door to her locker lightly pulling her books to her chest heading to her next class. She ducked between the groups of students whispering to each other about the events that happened the night before.

"Chang!"

She knew who was calling after her but Kikyou ignored him as 'Chang' was one of the most common surnames in Japan, ten kids turned around looking at whoever was calling them.

"Kikyou!" Kikyou stopped wondering why she was being singled out. Hojou stepped in her field of vision and she slowly tilted her head upward to look up at the panting boy trying to catch his breath. Was he really part of the track team? It's really a shame.

"Kikyou… have you seen Kagome in school today?" He spoke out between breaths.

Kikyou shook her head and stepped around him but he stopped her once again calling out her name. She closed her eyes knowing she wasn't going to make it to her next class on time due to the 'distraction.'

"Is she at home, does she need anything? I mean is she alright?"

She stared at Hojou's face realizing he had a bruised lip that had a bit of crusted blood over it. She took mental note of it and answered his question in the order received. "Yes, no, and yes." With that she stepped around him a bit glad he didn't call out for her again. She had to make it to class and he was being clingy.

…

"Due to the happenings of the other night it would be best if the students didn't linger around at night and no one should be walking home alone."

Kikyou stared at the teacher wondering what planet she came from. There were dangers lurking everywhere if one knew how to utilize them correctly and have a vivid imagination. This pencil could be used to stab someone in the eye, the stapler would make an excellent torture device and she could even find a million unsafe uses for a mere piece of chalk. She sighed looking out the window and closed her eyes waiting for the bell to ring otherwise she would be utilizing one of the many 'non safe' uses for the chalk.

She felt something hit her and she looked down at the floor to see a small crumpled paper. Kikyou combed out her chin length hair with her fingers glaring at the paper before picking it up and unfolding it. In crude obviously boyish hard to read handwriting it said, _'You want to go out to the movie sometime?'_ Turning her head to the side she found a boy staring at her with hopeful eyes. "I date older men." She said unabashedly.

"You want to add something to the discussion Miss Chang?" The teacher folded her arms and frowned.

"Yes." Kikyou stood up and turned around to the boy, "I date older men." She turned and sat back down, "I am finished."

Everyone stared at her wide eyed and a few with gaping jaws.

"Um… thank you for that?" The teacher was quite shocked but shook her head, put her glasses back down and picked up where she left off in the discussion. After the bell rang Kikyou stayed behind waiting for the rest of the class to leave before she walked out. The girls would try and trip her, or make fun of her and she wasn't in the mood for it today. Again that piece of chalk came crawling into her mind.

"Chang." The teacher called out to her.

Kikyou narrowed her eyes as she was about to walk out of the door. She could ignore the teacher and feign innocence at not being able to hear but she stopped and it was now too late. Turning around she waited for her fate.

"Aside from the… outburst… I wanted to tell you good job on the test. You did quite well for someone with…" The teacher stopped and stared at the student for a moment not being able to find the right word.

"Mental deficiencies." Kikyou finished her statement in all frankness. She was already used to being called every name under the noonday sun. Kikyou bowed and headed out the door leaving behind a startled teacher.

Kikyou did exactly the opposite thing the teachers had been warning the students all day long, she was walking home alone. It was not an odd occurrence for her she had been on the streets between foster homes and had been walking alone to and from school since she enrolled herself. Although she was used to the solitary life she had lived today she frowned wondering why she was all of a sudden missing the taller ominous demonic shadow that had been following after her for the past couple of months. Had she gotten used to having Kagome around? Kikyou was quite self reliant and so she thought of being dependent on another person for even something as miniscule as companionship was daunting and somewhat foreign ground to her. Kikyou didn't even know if she liked the girl, and even stranger it wasn't because Kagome was a demon that she based her dislike on. There was just something she didn't like, as odd as it was. After getting past her features and even the demonic nature she now belonged to the girl was kind and sweet and easy to get along with. There were even some days where she would hide from Kagome because her presence was sometimes too much for her to handle.

She had to sit and sort out her thoughts about this.

Kikyou stopped walking. She really didn't want to go home anyway, at least not yet. Miss Kira was really nice and she liked to bake a lot of sweets and she called everyone 'hun' all the time. Even though she had a zillion cats Miss Kira never asked her to clean the litter or feed the hoard. Kikyou did that to keep her presence from being a burden, after she left on her own she didn't want to feel the obligation of owing anyone. Miss Kira never even asked her to clean her room. It wasn't like she had that much to clean. Kikyou lived out of a backpack often enough being forced to move from town to town. She didn't even unpack her bag yet at this house. There was always this nagging feeling Miss Kira would ask her to leave… and sometimes she would feel like she didn't want to live this kind of life anymore. She never thought she'd be taken care of, she had been a tea house companion to keep a roof over her head so this life now seemed like it was just too good to be true, and one day she would wake up and be right back at that tea house. She enrolled herself in school to learn to read and do basic math, some of the girl's weren't so lucky to afford that. She never even had a friend, never even wanted one. All of this was unfamiliar to her and at times she resented it all, hated all of this change because deep inside it felt as though she lost her freedom. Perhaps this is why she always had her foot in the door, ready to leave.

She shut her eyes. Who was she fooling? She liked the cookies and even tuna casserole and game show night.

And she even tolerated Kagome.

Kikyou frowned wondering about this wall she had already built up before even truly knowing the girl. This was more than an annoyance of her cheery personality and pretty face. It felt as though she had always known Kagome, even the confession from Souta about Kagome being a demon didn't faze her. Kikyou heard a bit of commotion and looked around seeing a few people gathered close to the yellow tape sectioning part of the park off. Easily she slipped around the taller people and observed a few officers holding the leashes of hounds that were sniffing around the ground.

She felt the hair on her arms stand up, like static in the air. The bloodhounds sensed it as well howling and cowering behind their handlers. The air grew cold and darkness loomed overhead in the clouds casting dark shadows below. Four people walked past from her peripheral vision, three big men in dark suits and dark glasses. The one in the middle seemed the youngest, messy long hair and dark skin flashing his badge to the other officers that suddenly seemed nervous at the sight of them.

Save for the younger looking officer the others were quiet. Her eyes widened when all four simultaneously turned their heads towards the crowd. Kikyou felt their eyes directly on her and she narrowed her eyes at them staring at the younger man without glasses into his dark eyes hidden by the shadow of his hair. Kikyou took a single step backwards and the crowd gathered forward obstructing her view of them. Something about this, about them did not seem right. She walked off knowing if this meant anything to her it would present itself again in the future. Slowly she walked before she heard some dogs barking in the distance and suddenly had the sense of urgency. Picking up the pace she walked briskly then broke out into a full sprint. The shrine was not too far away and once she arrived she ran up the stairs.

Mrs. Higurashi always told her she never had to knock on the door. Usually Kikyou ignored that and always felt the need to knock but today she did not. Sliding the door open she walked in and took her shoes off setting them aside. The house seemed oddly quiet. She knew jii-chan would be tending the shrine or the storehouse and Souta wasn't back from school yet. She couldn't find Mrs. Higurashi anywhere, her car was gone and Kikyou figured she must have gone to the store. She slowly walked up the stairs and opened the door looking in to the pink room shrouded in darkness. The blinds were down, the curtains drawn and a lump was resting on the bed.

She stood over the demoness who was sleeping on her back with her long hair tossed all about the bed lightly snoozing. Kikyou narrowed her eyes, "Baka." She whispered, the girl did not stir so Kikyou closed the door quietly heading down the stairs. Halfway down the stairs she heard a knock on the door. She narrowed her eyes, _'Well well now… it did present itself again.'_

A gleaming silver badge hung from a chain, she glanced at it before tilting her head upwards to stare at the darkest colored eyes she had ever seen staring back down at her. His tan face was surrounded by long bushy ink colored hair barely held back by a tie. For an officer he wore relatively plain clothing. He was tall, very tall.

"Hey." He gave her a boyish smile.

"The shrine is behind the house, a priest there can give you a tour." Kikyou made a move to slide the door shut when he put his foot down obstructing the door from being shut. She looked up at him giving him her full attention. "Whatever you're selling I am not interested in buying any."

"Huh?" He stared at the girl who looked quite annoyed with him. "I'm not a salesman… and I didn't come to pray. I came to ask you some questions. I saw you at the park…"

"I was not at the park, I was on the sidewalk."

He flinched at her snippiness. It was cold as ice. "Can I come in?" She narrowed her eyes regarding him for a moment before she took a step to the side. He brushed past her and looked around in the home taking in the details of the house. It was pretty comfortable, and it smelled nice. "Sorry if I scared you there…" He turned around and leapt back at her proximity. She was standing right behind him so close he could feel her breath on his back. She just stared at him and raised a brow at his outburst.

She stared up at him, "Sorry if I scared you there."

'_Shit she's creepy.'_ Coughing and taking a noticeable step backwards he asked, "Have you heard about the two students that were attacked at the park?" She nodded her head and he waited for her to say something else but after what seemed like a few minutes she did not. "Um… what have you heard about the students that were attacked?"

"That they were attacked." He raised an eyebrow and stared at her jaw agape. She sighed realizing he wanted her to elaborate, "You should ask the right questions to get the right answers."

"Fair enough, what have you heard about the students that were attacked?"

"The boy was hurt."

He shut his eyes now getting annoyed. "What have the students been spreading around?"

"I don't play well." When he stared at her confused she had to elaborate, "I have no friends." She knew she was odd, different and frankly she didn't give a flying fuck. "They say that they were attacked by a bear."

"Well no, it wasn't a bear." He chuckled running his fingers through his unruly hair.

Kikyou held up a hand and began to tick off fingers, "A bear, pack of squirrels, a mini cooper, an encyclopedia salesman, aliens and a drunk sumo wrestler."

He snorted loudly. Kids these days. "Well, no to all of those. I was wondering if you haven't seen a big dog…" He saw something that caught his eyes, a photo above the mantle of a young family. Why did he seem to recognize their faces?

"Who is this?" He pointed to the young mother.

"Mrs. Higurashi." Kikyou answered watching him stare at the family photo.

"I… don't I know you?" The girl quirked an eyebrow but otherwise shook her head. He scratched his head a bit wondering exactly where he had seen this woman before. He knew her but couldn't place where. Maybe he met her in Kyoto when he worked as a police officer but nothing was coming to mind. He sniffed the air again.

"Here."

"Huh?" He stared at the girl who was holding up a box of Kleenex.

She eyed him as he had a confused expression, "You keep sniffling."

"Oh. Sorry." He sheepishly took one. "Anyone here with you?"

"There is a priest here."

Priest? A stern expression marred his brow.

"So it wasn't a mini cooper?" Kikyou asked snapping him out of whatever revere he was having. He was boring her and it was about time he left.

He snorted again, "No not a mini cooper. If you see a big dog without a collar, or pack of dogs, or even a wolf call animal control immediately. If you see anything strange even if it sounds odd or you think no one would believe you please call me. I'll believe you." He held out his card and the girl took it staring at it for a moment before her eyes slanted up towards him.

Slowly she raised her hand and pointed at him, "Dogs do not like you." She watched him stare at her wide startled eyes. "You're strange." Kikyou watched him nervously make his way towards the door telling her to contact him should she hear of anything else. After he was gone she grinned.

Somehow… she felt him following her home. He felt like static in the air making her nervous, well… she made him nervous too.

"Kikyou?" Mrs. Higurashi walked in through the back door carrying groceries. She seemed rather surprised at seeing the girl. "I thought I heard someone."

"I waited for Kagome today. She is asleep in her room."

The older woman's smile faded away. Akiko looked down to her hands realizing she was wringing the shopping bag nervously. "You must be hungry." She chirped letting go setting the bags on the counter. After a few moments she was hovering over a simmering bowl of soup she stirred the pot gently and in a practiced motion she filled a small bowl and set it on the table. She watched Kikyou sit down and quietly sip her miso soup. When the girl was finished she looked up expectantly at her. Kikyou's appearance although altered by her short hair set her on edge every once in awhile. "Kagome rarely sleeps so when she finally does its best to not wake her."

Kikyou stared at her. She was a very poor liar.

Akiko rubbed the back of her neck looking down at the ground. "We thought it would be best, for her to stay home today and sleep."

Kikyou nodded her head. Whatever happened, Kagome did it. "I spoke to Hojou." Mrs. Higurashi looked up staring at her with wide eyes and expectantly waiting for a question unasked. "He asked about her, apparently she ran off during their date."

Akiko felt the weight lift off her shoulders, she sighed heavily whispering _'thank kami' _a few times. She looked up when Kikyou placed a hand on her shoulder giving her a slight nod. Akiko realized that Kikyou knew what happened. She nervously put her hand over the younger girl's.

"Apparently there are a pack of wild dogs in the park, so tell Souta to be careful." Kikyou let go of her shoulder and picked up her bag slinging it over her shoulder, "Miss Kira is waiting for me. It is tuna casserole and game show night." With that Kikyou was about to walk out the kitchen door when she stopped, "Has she ever done this before?"

"No." Mrs. Higurashi whispered. When she looked up at Kikyou the girl was not there anymore, just the sound of the door sliding shut.

* * *

"I know it's here." He muttered shoving a few boxes with his foot to the side as he held open the large leather bound book reading a passage with letters so small he had to squint and really stare at the words. He bent over and began to sift through some boxes trying to find the scrolls he had left somewhere in these boxes he dragged down from the storeroom.

And that is how they found him: undignified, ass straight up staring them in the face.

A light 'ahem' caught his attention and the priest turned around and slowly lowered the book to see a young man in a fine black suit standing in the shrine store. He had ruffled back hair and dark glasses over his eyes holding a suitcase. His attention was immediately drawn to the tall woman at his side she was dressed in a fine tailored suit dress with dark glasses with her dark hair pulled back. He slowly reached into his pocket and narrowed his eyes grabbing a few ofudas, in an instant he threw the sacred sutras at her and yelled DEMON!

Her eyes shot open and she took a step back clutching her hand to her chest as a sutra was stuck to her nose.

"AHAHAAAA!" Higurashi slapped his hand on his thigh, "You kids need to learn to lighten up!"

The woman frowned and with two fingers peeled the sticky sutra off her nose taking her glasses with her. She glared at him with her blue eyes shaking her hand free from the sutra. The man she was with let out a sigh, "I am looking for a priest."

Higurashi slammed the ancient book shut causing dust from the ancient relic to fly upwards into the boy's face, "Say you found one did you? Name's Higurashi, never been called anything else."

The young executive waved his hand in front of his face coughing lightly to get rid of the dust flying in his face. "I am in need of…" He coughed a few times, "… a priest to bless the ground of a construction site."

Higurashi narrowed his eyes and stroked his small beard, "Ground blessing eh? Where am I going?"

The tall woman spoke, "Tokyo, you will be transported there and back and compensated for your time."

"Aren't there priests in the city?"

"We prefer… someone of your caliber."

Higurashi smiled, "Reputation precedes me huh?" He slammed his hand on the table laughing out loud, "You got yourself a priest then."

"Perfect." He handed the priest his card.

"Taiyouheiki Corporation?" Higurashi stared at the name wondering where he'd heard it before but drawing a blank, "So…" He looked at the name on the card, "… Shiro… when do I get started?"

Shiro placed his glasses over his eyes looking over to see his companion bow respectfully and walk out of the small visitor center. "Tomorrow morning if that's alright with you."

Higurashi was staring at the flap of the door waved in the wind, she was an odd one that woman but he didn't know why that was. "Tomorrows fine with me Shiro, I'll be ready in the early morning."

Shiro bowed respectfully to the old priest. He stood outside in the courtyard wondering where the girl had wandered off to. After walking the grounds he found her in front of an old well house staring at the closed door that was sealed by many sutras. He walked up besides her turning around looking up at the leaves of a very big tree, "I figured if we searched outside of Tokyo we'd be able to find someone…"

"Loony?" She filled in for him as she briefly glanced at him before looking back at the dark chipped wood of the well house. "He's perfect."

Shiro turned to look at her. She was fixated on this door, her body was tense… well tenser than she usually was which was saying a great deal. "Are you alright?"

"I hate shrines." She muttered tilting her head to the side reaching up placing her hand on the wood. She could feel the cracks on the wood on the pads of her fingers and the paint chipping off. But there was something odd about this building, perhaps something inside it. It wasn't the faint power of another demon… it was something entirely different. Out of all the pristine condition of the shrine grounds this building was the only one in absolute decay. It had a lock on the door with a warning of the building being unsafe. She took a step backwards away from it.

This shrine especially bothered her, it wasn't the fact it was a shrine… it was the fact that it smelled different in here, the air was clean, the sounds of the street was dulled and for a moment everything felt… like it did many years ago. Also that priest, he had instantly pegged her, that caught her completely off guard. She wondered if she should tell the lord about this. It was enough of an oddity she may as well put it in her daily report. Turning around she walked towards the front of the shrine, her heels clicking loudly on the pavement. Her charge was quietly walking beside her. She was content of the peace, the boy did like to chatter a great deal and his attempts at flattery were beginning to strain.

A slight chill caused her to shiver a bit and she rubbed her arm lightly.

"Did it just get cold?" Shiro wondered aloud blinking when he saw his own breath.

She stopped.

All the hairs on the back of her neck stood and the air was charged with static so strong it caused her spine to shiver. The day outside was sunny, no overcast or strange thick cloud overhead. Blue eyes narrowed feeling slightly agitated. She rubbed the back of her neck rolling her shoulder. She hadn't felt anything like this in a long time… a very long time. It was strong, powerful and dark at the same time. She turned her head and looked at the giant tree on the grounds. No… the old oak held a mysterious aura to it… but it was not what she was feeling.

"Toran-sama?"

She blinked realizing he was calling her name. "Let's go." She muttered heading to the stairs needing to be away from this place.

* * *

Kagome stirred lightly.

Her eyes fluttered open when a bird rested on the windowsill and chirped happily. Had she fallen asleep at her desk? Sitting up and peeling the paper off her face she glanced over the neat stack of papers resting in front of her. It was simply titled, 'Historical Inaccuracies leading to the Capitalism of Modern day Economics' She grinned at her title. The research she had done was really bullshit. It was nothing like how she experienced the economic foundation of old Japan so she was going to pinpoint every single mistake that she read about and how it really was. Perhaps she'd be scoffed at but seriously… they weren't there. She was.

She sighed wondering if this really was the right choice for her. Sure history was something she was very familiar with and she could take a title for a specific time like the Sengoku Jidai but the more research she did for it the more she found the only jobs she could get was teacher, librarian, historian, public speaker… and none of those she really could do now. At one time she really wanted to be a teacher, she had always liked the idea of teaching and helping shape the future of Japan but… that was thrown to the wind now. The last thing Kagome wanted was to stand in front of a class of students, more specifically a class full of human students. None of the other jobs really appealed to her, all of them put her front and center. Maybe she could be an accountant, someone that sat in a back room away from everyone else. It wasn't anything she wanted to do at all but it was the most practical.

Gathering the papers in hand she straightened them out putting them in a neat folder.

She'd taken the rest of the week off from school, falling back to old illnesses. Kikyou had come last night and just sat there on her bed quietly as she finished her essay. Kagome knew that Kikyou had an idea of what happened, but the girl was patiently waiting for her to speak about it. _'He asked for you today again.'_ Kikyou told her and that is when Kagome broke down and told her best friend what had happened that night… at least of what she could remember.

Opening her blue eyes she thought about what Kikyou had told her, about the odd police officer that came questioning her. The way Kikyou described him, the strangeness about him, the details of his clothing, his attitude and the way animals cowered away from him. It sounded as though he was a demon. But that couldn't be right… could it?

She would have felt him if that was the case, but she didn't. She had been incapable of feeling anything for a few days. Her mother had been avidly against it but it was the only way she could sleep. She'd taken every last of the sleeping pills from the oversized bottle, a hundred times the amount a regular person would take to slumber and never awaken. But it was a risk she was willing to take to rest her mind, to really go to sleep and let her mind not fall into that horrible place between sleep and wake called dreams.

Stepping back she reached out and clapped her hands together once, "That's it I have work to do, case closed, game over. Now it's time to focus."

* * *

Kikyou was sitting at the small dinner table in the kitchen looking over the crossword puzzles in the newspaper. She slowly tried to read them aloud trying to figure out if the clues even meant anything. "A…fifteen letter word for…" She furrowed her eyebrows not understanding the next word.

"Very good Kikyou." Mrs. Higurashi wiped her hands on her apron. Kikyou held up the paper up and she looked down at the word Kikyou was stuck on. "Dictatorship."

"I don't know the answer to this one either." Kikyou glared at the newspaper. Its unfairness really pissed her off they made the puzzles so difficult only people with three degrees could compete.

"I don't think they make these things very fair." Mrs. Higurashi put her hand on the girls shoulder seeing her slight annoyance. Akiko heard someone rush down the stairs in two steps bursting through the kitchen came Kagome pulling up all her lovely pale hair into a sloppy ponytail holding the clip firmly in her teeth. "Good morning." She rested a rather large pile of English muffins on the table. Kagome had a rather big appetite now. It was almost a full time job having to cook for her.

"Ohayo!" Kagome cheerfully sat down grabbing the muffin on the top and stuffing it in her mouth.

"You're cheerful." Kikyou instantly noticed her friend was bubbly, happy, grinning and effectively being a girlish girly girl. "You shouldn't smile like that in school."

"Don't worry, I'm sure the mountain of homework waiting for me is going to sober me up some. I'm going to seriously focus today." She took a giant swig of orange juice and decided this time before she stuffed the muffin in her mouth she was going to butter it up, "I feel a ton better. Now I know what'll get me to sleep, thanks for the help."

"I shouldn't go back to that pharmacy ever again after purchasing a family sized bottle of sleeping pills." Kikyou muttered as she reached out to take another English muffin being beaten by Kagome who promptly stuffed that one in her mouth. She sighed but Mrs. Higurashi set another plate of them down on the table and gave her a wink. "You eat like a demon." She muttered. Kagome looked up and stared. Kikyou blinked realizing what she said. After the girl laughed hysterically Kikyou rolled her eyes. It was too damn early to be this happy.

"Why do they call them 'muffins' if they're flat?" Kagome always thought muffins were tall and puffy and were cooked in little cups. "They probably smash them with their fists for them to be this flat."

"Kagome don't talk with your mouth full!" Mrs. Higurashi reached out and swatted Kagome lightly on the head with a wooden spoon. She rolled her eyes when the girl winced.

"Maybe the English are violent like dictators." Kikyou frowned remembering her earlier failure, "Like a fifteen letter word for dictatorship."

Kagome didn't even bat an eye before answering, "Totalitarianism." Both her mother and Kikyou stared at her, "What?" While she was looking at their slightly shocked expressions Kagome noticed something was a bit different this morning. "Where's jii-chan?" Every day he had this routine, in the morning he would be reading the newspaper muttering something about the weather if it was unfavorable or circling TV shows he was going to watch. "He's usually looking at the sports page to place bets."

"Kagome." Mrs. Higurashi waved the wooden spoon at her daughter, "Your grandfather doesn't do those things."

"As far as you know." Kagome muttered loud enough for Kikyou to hear the two of them grinned knowing smiles to one another. She had discovered his little 'secret.' Her priest of a grandfather was making very small sports wagers with a geriatric bookie at the rest home down the street. She even saw him sneaking out of the house on weekends after telling her mother he was going to clean the back storehouse. _''Reputable' supplier… my ass.' _His other nefarious plotting other than betting fifty yen every now and then was playing bingo and… she suspected he may have a lady he fancied. It was always the same perfume he sometimes carried with him whenever he came home from one of his long 'walks' that and the smell of fresh cut flowers.

Who would have thought her crazy grandfather would be such a romantic. Really it was kind of cute.

"He said he had to go to Tokyo to bless a construction site, they picked him up early this morning."

"In a limo." Kikyou added having seen the old priest in full garb leaning down to get into the car and instead falling over ungracefully kicking his feet in the air as some poor guy in a suit began pulling him in. Kikyou did what any teenager would do and pretended she didn't know him even after he stood up in the sunroof screaming her name to look at him. She just kept walking.

"Seriously?" Kagome was impressed, or wondered if they were scrapping the bottom of the barrel. She shrugged a shoulder her grandfather felt a certain accomplishment doing what he did and it made him happy.

Souta walked down the stairs slowly, each step heavy before standing at the base of the stairs and stretching his arms up yawning loudly. He felt completely like crap.

"Souta you look like crap." Kagome frowned when Souta slowly shuffled into the kitchen dragging his feet.

"No shit." Souta muttered.

Kagome reached out and roughly brushed his hair with her fingers. It fell over his eyes like an inky mess. "You should cut your hair." She fussed over the collar of his uniform and he slapped her hands away. "Get off me." His sister was sometimes too much like his mother. Kagome liked to comb his hair, make sure his clothes were straight and picked and fussed preening him. She was worse than his mom. "No, no cutting the hair." He jumped backwards when she gave his long hair a glare.

Kikyou stood up and ominously announced, "It's time." Kagome grabbed her pack and bounded out of the kitchen but not before sticking her tongue out at her younger brother.

Souta held out a hand, "Kikyou." She turned to look at him, "Um… take care of my sis?" The girl just stared at him for a moment before turning around walking out of the kitchen. After the front door slammed he let out a sigh running his own fingers through his hair, "Smooth, just smooth."

Kagome looked down at Kikyou who was silently walking next to her. She cut her hair again, the bob bouncing with her steps she even wore a bow on her hair, very cute. "You know he has a crush on you."

"I am aware."

"I just think it's cute." Kagome smiled. She looked at Kikyou's frown. "What's wrong?"

"He has a crush on me, he should stop that."

Kagome sighed and decided to just drop the subject altogether. Kikyou had retreated into this angry intolerance of all things male and honestly she had every right to. But Kagome knew her friend better than Kikyou thought she did. Normally Kikyou would confront her admirers and scare them away with some odd comment, and if they were perverted she would use her book as a battering ram to their craniums. But with her darling little brother she didn't, merely was just silently annoyed. Kikyou was not known for her generosity.

"Did you finish that essay?" Kikyou asked.

Kagome had really given that essay everything she had. It was an odd subject matter but one she knew that would catch the attention of someone, either they'd laugh at her or take her seriously.

The gym was lined with various desks, colorful banners from different schools and representatives handing out pamphlets and cheap little trinkets like key chains, bumper stickers and little flags. Her destination was beyond the prestige universities she so wanted to pursue but a small desk at some obscure part of the gym free of all the placards, posters, and fluff the other colleges and universities paraded themselves with in front of potential students. It simply had a small banner draped over the white tablecloth and a few pamphlets that actually looked as though it had some information in it rather than smiling students that would one day become part of the 'girls gone wild' videos.

The lady sitting at the desk was obviously bored, she had out a rather large book and from her place it seemed as though she had made a fair amount of headway into it simply being here. Kagome instantly felt for her and cleared her throat lightly, "Miss?"

She was startled a bit that someone would be standing in front of her desk and even more so was started at just who was standing in front of her desk.

Kagome bowed her head gracefully before holding out the ten page essay she had painstakingly stayed up two weeks straight to finish. The lady took the neat folder and fixed her glasses, raising an eyebrow at the title before looking up at her. Kagome shrugged a shoulder and smiled. "It was going to be a historical account of the past economics vs. the modern day one but every text book I researched was wrong." Kagome made a fist just thinking about what dumb ass pretended to know history and even more so, how they got to be published with all that crap.

The lady was rather impressed at her jovial passion about the subject matter. Usually girls that looked that pretty were airheads. "The Taiyoukeiki Corporation is one of our schools benefactors, we're a smaller school that focus' on economics."

"Oh I know I did some research online about the college and the corporation behind it. They seem like they want to make sure their future employees get the best training possible. But I don't know if I'll even work there after I get my degree, seems they are picky about who they take into internship."

When the woman had been pulled from her normal personnel duties to come to one of these functions she really wanted to just leap from the tall window. So the best thing she could do was just get a big book and just sit here. But unlike every other time where she half answered questions from some pimply faced little nerd she had this fascinatingly interesting looking girl who seemed to actually have a head on her shoulders that was not stuffed with cotton. Setting aside her book so she could really talk to her she asked, "So what are your interests?"

Kagome clasped her hands behind her back. "I want to get into marketing, economics and business… I don't know yet but I'll figure it out once I get there. But I do want a minor in history as it's my favorite subject."

"And you don't want to pursue that?"

"Well, no not really. It's not practical, business is."

The woman smiled looking down at the name at the bottom of the cover page. She stood up and held out her hand, "Higurashi Kagome, did you want to talk about an application and enrollment?"

"I'd like that very much." Kagome sat down when the representative gestured the empty seat beside her. Maybe it wasn't as prestigious as other schools, but it may give her a foot in the door to something… well bigger. After all, she had all the time in the world, right?


	18. Eighteen

She knew she should not have ignored it, even turned her back on it or pretend it wouldn't eventually come.

The day began well enough but she couldn't shake the ominous feeling of dread that formed at the pit of her stomach. That unsettling feeling grew worse during the day as she went to all her classes and studied religiously in order to gain favoritism at a college that was actually interested in her. It was the only college that was willing to 'take less consideration' to the past absences of her travels to the warring states era. So she shrugged that feeling off, focusing more on her studies.

Eventually Kikyou could tell something was wrong with her. The girl learned to study even the most miniscule movements as warning signs. "Kagome you're nervous." But Kagome had even brushed off Kikyou's observation to bury her nose in another book to study for another upcoming test.

So for all the warnings, for all the unease, for all the knowledge of impending doom she did not anticipate it when she saw his determined hazel eyes from across the hallway amidst the river of students. Even though she knew this day was coming Kagome still was startled to see him walk in a straight line towards her.

"H… Hojou-kun?" Kagome felt the need to take a step back when he stood quite close to her looking into her eyes with a very solemn expression in their shallow depths.

"Kagome."

She winced visibly at the use of her first name from his lips. He had always been very formal with her in the past. She could not escape the audible gulp. Instead she squeaked a small, "Yes?"

"I would be honored if you would read this note." He held up a letter in a sealed envelope that had her name in an elegant script.

Kagome stared at the crisp colored stationary being held out towards her. Her arm felt weighty as she raised it to grasp the envelope. Regretting the action she closed her eyes momentarily feeling the heaviness of the slip of paper she held in her hand. She glanced at Hojou who sternly stared at her for a moment before taking a step back and bowing his head turning around disappearing in the sea of students.

**To Wash it all Away**

**Eighteen.**

Mrs. Higurashi leaned forward and knelt beside Kagome. The girl always managed to sleep in the oddest positions. This time she was sitting on the ground but half draped on her bed. She reached out and rested her hand on Kagome's shoulder lighting grasping it, "Kagome?"

Kagome's icy blue eyes snapped open, "I'm awake, mama."

"You shouldn't sit like that you'll get a sore in your neck." She thought for a moment, "Do demon's even get sore necks?"

Kagome rubbed her sore neck, "I do so yes."

Akiko noticed her daughter's faraway look in her eyes and the sullen way she had been moping around the house the past few days. "Did you want to talk about something Kagome?"

"Mama did you ever like someone but not like them… seriously?"

"What do you mean dear?" Akiko brushed a stray white hair behind the girl's ear.

"There's this guy. I like him but I don't _like_ him." Kagome couldn't explain it any other way.

"Oh." Akiko thought about it for a moment, nibbling on her finger a bit. "Well your father was somewhat persistent."

"Seriously? I thought you two hit it off quickly." Kagome leaned back and hugged her knees to her chest.

"Well in college after we had already known each other we did. But in high school he was not someone I fancied."

'_Not someone I fancied?'_ Kagome was shocked, she was under the impression her parents were deep in love at least of what she could remember. She was quite young when her father passed away. But she remembered he always came home and bowed over her mother's hand placing a kiss on it, they held hands wherever they went and he opened doors for her. He truly cherished his wife. Kagome should be so lucky if she ever had a love like that. "If you didn't like him then how did you…"

"At first I didn't but we grew up. That's why I think you should just not worry about something like that now."

Kagome smiled but it faded when she realized something, even if she were to find the 'one' it didn't change the fact that she couldn't possibly lead a normal life anymore. "I don't think I should ever be worrying about that."

Akiko felt for her daughter. "What he did to you was unforgivable." She reached out and touched her daughter's cheek brushing it against her alabaster skin, "But this… this was cruel." She watched Kagome tilt her head down and look at the pink carpet solemnly. Her daughter would never have a normal life she resigned herself to that fate just traveling to the warring era. It was Akiko's wish that Kagome would use that time to further herself beyond her studies. Kagome would eventually have to leave that life but she would walk away from it with a sense of accomplishment and unforgettable memories as she slipped back into the life she had here. But it wasn't to be the case anymore, she was now part of that past forever and would always carry it even when she looked in the mirror it would always stare her in the face. Yes he was cruel to her, but sealing her like this was even crueler.

"It's ok mama." Kagome gave her a light smile, "I'm getting used to it."

She smiled to her daughter. Kagome had retained that one thing that made her human, the power of forgiveness. Akiko was not so sure she would be so forgiving to Inuyasha if she saw him again but Kagome it seems was a better person than she was. "Well the laundry isn't going to do itself." She stood up and patted Kagome on the head, "Is Kikyou coming over for dinner?"

"Cook food and she'll just show up suddenly. She's like ninja friend." Kagome watched her mom pluck some of her dirty laundry off her chair and take it with her.

"You're going to eventually have to read it you know."

Kagome turned to see Kikyou standing outside her window, "We have a front door." Kagome reminded Kikyou. She watched the girl slip in through the window and stand in front of her looking down at the unopened letter on her bed and just stare at it. "Yea yea I know the letter." Kagome rocked back and stood on her feet plucking the letter off the bed and staring at the elegant handwriting of Hojou Naibu.

"It's a confession."

"Well duh, those are usually the things that come in these sorts of envelopes. Either that or money and I doubt he'd come up to me and give me a hundred." She sighed and gave it to Kikyou, "You open it."

Kikyou took the letter in hand and with a swift rip she tore open the side and took the pages out of its envelope sleeve and handed it to Kagome.

Kagome grasped the rather lengthy letter and plopped down on her bed before letting out a big sigh, counting to ten and opening her eyes to read it.

'_Higurashi-san… Kagome. The other night you reminded me of our first meeting. You had just moved into the neighborhood and I wanted to help you in whatever way I could. I tried to help you carry a box of china into the house and dropped it because I wasn't strong enough. That has not changed I want to help you in whatever way I can. I want to be strong enough to write this, I want to be strong enough for you.'_

She closed her eyes tightly, her heart constraining at the gravity of the words he used.

'_When you were ill I was always there, always inquiring about your health, about how I could help you, about how I could be strong for you in my own way. I did not lie to you in the past, I said I would always be there for you and there I have always been.' _

She winced at the word 'lie.'

'_I did not mean to place distrust in you by being with Eri. We were two friends who came together in concern for another friend. I said I would always wait for you and I am sorry I did not. But I want to hold true to that now that you have returned to me. I know you are not the same girl that stepped off the moving truck all those years ago. I am willing to look past your changes and past your relationship with Inuyasha. I want us to be together. I await your response eagerly. _

_Yours… Hojou.'_

Kagome clutched the letter in her hand, her claws going through the parchment. She shoved the letter to Kikyou who took it off her hands. The lies she had to cower behind in order to be free to traverse into the past caught up to her. Kagome felt bad enough for missing that much school and felt even worse for having to lie so bold facedly to her friends, to her school, to Hojou. If she could be honest with him over that one point she would be, she would tell him it was all a façade for her travels. Would he believe her? Could he believe her? Was he even capable of believing her?

Her mind, her heart, her soul said no.

This was no basis to begin any sort of relationship, not when you had to keep a lie. Even worse she had to keep the biggest lie of all. There was no way she could disclose to him she was a demon. And that lie would have to hold true to any other man she met or even had a remote interest for. She heard Kikyou slowly read over the letter sometimes muttering the words under her breath to understand them.

Eventually she looked over to Kagome, "He's not just an asshole he's a fucking asshole."

"Huh?" Kagome was dumbstruck with Kikyou's sudden outburst.

Kikyou gave her a look. She pointed to a passage "And I quote, _'I am willing to look past your changes and past your relationship with Inuyasha.'_ Didn't he go out with your best friend? Didn't he go out with that other girl? He talks a lot about waiting for you but he sure hasn't waited."

Kagome blinked.

She stood up and shook her fist in the air, "That ASSHOLE!"

Her mom called up from downstairs, "Kagome, language young lady!"

* * *

The large imposing office was near bare save a few pieces of artwork highlighted by spotlights mostly surrounded by ten foot tall smoked glass overlooking the most congested of Tokyo districts. She stood before the thick wooden desk, head bowed, hands clasped together waiting as her lord read over her daily reports. Inwardly she sighed as her mind wandered to other things, like how she had to really keep that Shiro in line. She wondered why he would even hire such a human over an important task but she quickly took note he was quite gifted at what he did. All she had to do was make sure he stayed on track and was a bridge between him and their lord as it was obvious the human was annoying.

Sesshoumaru sat there… pardon 'Nandeska-sama' sat there. She wanted to scoff at his alias it made him sound like a youth himself. His façade dated him around his late twenties, his appearance befitting a Japanese heir that took over the family estate that his 'father' aka himself, bequeathed him. Really it was an ingenious weave of lies. He looked… human aside from being insanely tall. His ability to alter this condensed humanlike shape was truly amazing to her. Most of whom she saw concealed themselves with a spell of sorts the effort to do such was straining to the spell caster and sometimes did not have the desired affect for the spell wearer. It would sometimes fail altogether, and it always had an odd side effect of causing them to not have a reflection in a mirror, or even fail altogether for some humans who are said to have dormant spiritual powers. Only very powerful priests and priestess' could see the greater taiyoukai and know their true form, or feel their demonic aura. Thankfully in this era there are none. She, like Sesshoumaru had complete control of their bodies, this shape she could modify though not without complete concentration and a great deal of time to complete. Also her time sealed away did not help with her training. The best she could do was dull her ears and darken her hair black which was enough.

Once again she let out a soft sigh wondering if she was still needed while he read her reports and signed her paperwork she had to fax to the agency. She was hungry and she saw a rather tasty looking cake in a bakery store window. After trying a variety of human cuisine she quickly found a liking to 'sweets.' She'd have to talk Shiro into it, as she was still insecure about the changing of money and he seemed to be infatuated with her. Stupid human. She knew Sesshoumaru would never take her there. She grinned with the imagery of him in his full battle regalia she remembered him to have, taking out the tenseiga and chopping a cake in half resurrecting it into a giant tartlet monster which she would of course have to destroy and eat its flesh.

"Mmmm…. cake." She licked her lips at the thought of that tasty pastry on her plate about to be devoured.

"Are you quite finished?"

Her mind snapped out of her daydream and she looked up noticing Sesshoumaru was leaning back against his chair with his chin held up by a fist giving her an amused look. It seems he had been done reading the report for some time now and he probably said her name but she was daydreaming. "I was… thinking."

"I do not need to wonder what it was about." She'd said the word 'cake' a couple times in the past several minutes.

"Is there anything you need of me?" She finally regained herself and asked.

"The priest, you made note of him.

She nodded, "He pegged me as a demon though in joke. I thought it was worth your time to know this though it may not be much of a concern." She watched him slide a folder across the desk towards her.

"A change in who is leading the project."

Toran raised an eyebrow at the name on the official document. It was the strangest name she'd ever seen, "Zephyr, Chronos?" Her powder blue eyes stared at Sesshoumaru in question. He merely nodded his head. It seems there was another demon in Sesshoumaru's employ. "Do I know him… should I have known him?"

Sesshoumaru shook his head, "Another continent." Standing up he turned and overlooked the horizon of tall structures and millions of humans lingering about. Overhead a large airplane flew by rattling the building mildly. They were demons among humans, a pathetic existence for those who once instilled fear in these creatures. "Everything in on schedule… I will be leaving shortly."

The demoness raised an eyebrow. He seemed eager to get out of Tokyo for some reason, "The 'stank' of humans getting to you Nandeska-sama?" She thought it odd considering he rutted with them quite frequently.

"I will remain for the remainder of your relocation to sign off your trial period and purchase your contract indefinitely."

She winced at what he had just said. Yes she was property, an object… they called her an 'asset' but she fucking knew what slavery was. They hid behind the word 'contract' selling them to high ranking officials for protection, military organizations and so on and so forth. Maybe in twenty years they would 'release' her if she behaved. Lucky bastards like Sesshoumaru were too powerful, too old and had adapted enough that they could not own him, control him or even think about touching him. People in the agency called them 'free walkers' those who had their freedom.

Sesshoumaru had thought about bringing her back to Kyoto but with her on Shiro's case the human had been more productive lately. "Keep that human in line. Take note of all discrepancies and report them immediately. Should the human think too much of himself remind him who pays him. You have my direct number should something occur."

"You're keeping me?" She blinked. When she realized who he was once he got off the elevator she thought he would dump her back to where she came from.

"You would rather the government own your contract?"

Toran snorted. Sesshoumaru had in his employment some of the most powerful resurrected demons to date. The government contracted their military influence to him. If he wanted to stage a coup and take this country he need only snap his fingers. Lucky bastard. "This Shiro does not know?"

"He will not."

She sighed realizing it would be utterly boring playing human. "Aside from that, what is to become of me?" She had to ask considering this was her life now and she had nowhere to go from here. Sesshoumaru had given her a furnished apartment but she didn't know what to do with it. She didn't know anyone in Tokyo and she doubted she could just strike up conversation with someone off the street. _'I am Toran, leader of the extinct Panther Tribe pleased to meet your acquaintance.'_

"You are a panther, adapt." With that he turned back to the skyline folding his arms in silent dismissal. He heard her walking out of his office until she fell over flat on her face swearing loudly. He closed his eyes in annoyance.

"GOD DAMN HEELS!" She took them off, "Fucking human torture devices!" She walked out of his office and towards her large desk. She saw Shiro sitting behind another large desk forced to be here out in the hallway until his office was finished. He had a giant stack of papers sitting in front of him, and on the ground around him. He didn't even hear her as he read over some reports. "HEY!" She watched him snap his head upward to look at her. She waved a shoe, "I need something… not this."

Shiro blinked looking right and left. He thought all women liked tall heels. His ex girlfriend certainly did. "You can wear flat shoes?" He offered and she stared at him with huge surprised eyes and a rather elated expression on her face. She walked up to his desk and put her hands on her hips, "You will accompany me to the flat shoe store… and the bakery."

"Um… I have to get the quarterly done." Shiro wondered why she was even talking to him. She usually acted as though he was a bug under her foot.

"We can work late, come." She turned and walked to the elevator pressing a few buttons allowing the new security system to open the elevator for her. She rather liked some things in this era. Every time she pushed buttons things happened. If she pushed the button on the 'microwave' a door opened. If she turned a knob hot water came out and she could bathe without going to a hot spring if she touched another button on a black box people began to appear and sometimes do strange things and they were trying to sell her things!

She could get used to this.

* * *

They stood facing off at the roof of the school, their predetermined meeting spot.

Well it really wasn't their predetermined meeting spot it was hers. She had Kikyou deliver the message to Hojou with the place and the time. He walked up the stairs and stopped a few feet from her staring right at her rubbing the back of his neck nervously. Kagome watched his nervous habit wondering where she was going to go from here and how she was going to go about with this. His letter clutched in one hand as the wind picked up the ends of her hair.

"So I guess you read my letter."

Kagome nodded, "I read it."

He looked at her and wondered why she had a pensive look to her face. He had told her what he felt and how he felt and he felt his heart drop when he noticed how angry she looked. "Kagome… I…"

"Look at me Hojou." Kagome took a few strands of her long silvery hair and let them slip through her fingers. "Take a good look."

He indeed looked. How could no one look at her? She had always looked cute but she was now immensely exotic, strange and lovely. Just looking at her now made him… want to do things to her. He found he couldn't stop the thoughts and he was a bit ashamed of himself for thinking those thoughts about a long childhood friend and junior high crush. He had been absolutely mortified at having to _**release**_ himself more than a few nights to thoughts of her but that only made him want to see her more. By the rumors around school other's wanted to do the same but she had been avidly avoiding and declining offers. He had been out with her once, kissed her… perhaps they could take this somewhere.

"What is so offensive about me?"

Hojou blinked not understanding the question. "I don't know what you mean."

"'_I am willing to look past your changes…'_" Kagome pointed to herself, "What is so offensive about me!"

"I… I didn't mean it like that. I mean you're a lot different now than you used to be not just the way you look but the way you act as well. You don't smile anymore, you don't laugh, you have strange friends, it's like you're a completely different person. Sure you've changed physically, you're out of the ordinary now… but in a different way I swear it doesn't mean what you think it does."

"You're digging yourself a grave Hojou." Both turned to look up to the top of the stair way. Kikyou was precariously sitting on the edge of the slanted roof with her legs folded, cigarette in hand.

"Kikyou this was supposed to be a private conversation." Kagome muttered. "And stop smoking!"

"Thought you could use some help." She took a puff of her cigarette before flicking it off to the side, "Kagome what does it feel like to be called 'strange' because of the way you look?"

Kagome bowed her head, "It hurts."

"I swear I didn't mean it." Hojou held up both hands reaching out to Kagome and taking her by the arm, "Please you have to believe me."

Kagome jerked her arm away from him. "Don't do that. I… don't like to be touched. It's not just you Hojou it's everyone." She watched him nod in understanding and take two steps backwards from her. Kagome let out a sigh relaxing a bit. "Let me ask one question."

Hojou nodded his head, "Anything."

"Who else was there?"

He tilted his head to the side wondering what she was talking about.

Kagome shut her eyes, "I was truthful with you about Inuyasha. Aside from him there was no one else I was with. So I am asking you, aside from Eri, Suki, the American exchange student Laura and even attempting to flirt with Kikyou… who else was there?" Her words caused him to take another step backwards. She held up the letter that was still in her fist. "You said you were willing to overlook my past with Inuyasha… the question you should be asking me is I am willing to overlook your past with everyone you've ever been with that you never told me about! You kept saying you'd wait but you kept taking on girlfriend after girlfriend even my best friend!"

"We thought something happened to you!"

"Something did happen, but you can't dump her because I came back in the picture. What basis for a relationship is that?"

He snapped his mouth shut.

Kagome took a step forward placing her directly in front of Hojou. She didn't believe she was going to do this. She was going to give up on yet another shred of humanity that defined her mortality. But this was one chapter she could do without. He nervously leaned away from her, "I will always be your friend Hojou, nothing more."

With that she walked past a stunned Hojou and quietly walked down the stairs back to the school.

Kikyou gave him a look of pity before following after her.


	19. Nineteen

**To Wash it All Away**

**Nineteen.**

It was late.

One glance at his watch he realized that it was already past midnight. He pinched the bridge of his nose, after all these years his eyes were still not accustomed to the back lighting of the monitors. Mentally throwing in the towel Sesshoumaru stood, reaching up running his fingers through his long hair.

There were those who believed he led an easy life, bathing in the sun as their company was left to the hands of overpaid lackeys. He had worked hard to create this company, having a foothold in every aspect of the capitalist world, and would not allow others incompetence to destroy his life's work. He owned this company outright, not having a board of directors, stubbornly refusing to sell shares of his work to greedy humans.

He piled his files in the order he would work on them the next day and clicked off his monitor. Tossing his jacket over his arm he flipped open his phone clicking through the damnable object in search for the nearest bar. He had not taken rest in weeks and it was wearing on him. He tried to take sleeping pills but after three bottles of that followed by Jack Daniels his mind refused to stop its thought process. It seemed to be a constant problem, at first he reveled in the fact he could go long stretches of time without having to sleep but after his inability to think clearly without rest it was apparent that his father was right… he was an insomniac.

In frustration villages were not spared his anger.

Working did nothing to ease this, it simply aggravated the condition. He had already barked at Shiro so much the human had taken a few sick days. Toran did not care for it either he was not spared her bitching at him to 'calm the fuck down.' Perhaps he should piss her off enough to get her to fight him. That may help deal with his bodies pent up energy but not his mental thought processes.

So three bars it was, if he was lucky he would find some bitch to spend himself in.

'_Calm your mental rage Sesshoumaru or I'll calm it for you.'_ He could hear his father's chiding remembering how the elder demon would spar with him intently for days to get him tired enough to sleep, if that didn't work his father would simply chokehold him until he passed out tired of his foul mood during his bouts with insomnia.

Sesshoumaru walked out of his office. The floor was still in a bit of disarray, it was a bit his fault for putting his personal engineer in charge of three other major projects at the same time.

Sesshoumaru gave his secretary's desk a glance. There were stacks of pizza boxes, buckets of chicken and tubs of all other sorts of food laid out. The woman was eccentric to say the least in this modern setting. Perhaps she was not 'acclimated' enough to be on her own. Several years of training was perhaps not enough for four hundred years of change.

The elevator door opened and the two demons stared at one another.

Toran was holding several bags of hamburgers from one of the nearby junk food establishments. Freed of her constricting clothing in a short blue kimono she had released herself from her humanlike appearance long powder blue hair surrounding her form in curls and her tail flicking back and forth. "Going home Sesshoumaru?"

He narrowed his eyes at her giving her a hint, "You may take your leave as well."

She completely ignored him, plucking a hamburger out of the bag and stuffing it in her mouth wholly. She tilted her head to the side and looked up to the ceiling thoughtfully chewing it slowly before swallowing. She looked down at the bags in her arm as though she was holding the key to the universe, her eyes wide in awe, "Wow."

He never thought her capable of such ludicrous actions, "Indeed, now step aside." She was standing in his way.

Toran grinned smugly at him, "Bar or whore house or a bit of both?" She'd heard of his midnight drunken rages and overnight trysts. By now she was used to the smell of 'skank' that lingered.

Sesshoumaru glared at her, red seeping into the whiteness of his eyes, aura picking up the air around him charging it with static.

"Now there's the old Sesshoumaru I remember." Toran snorted and took a step to the side.

To feel his power escalating sent his mind into a sort of ease, being comfortable with his own power continually having to suppress it to save face. In that instant for a mere moment Sesshoumaru was able to breathe.

Toran concentrated attentively on his aura, the way it suddenly burst forth like a dam breaking. He was denying himself she could feel the concentration of his power in releasing it. She'd seen demons that had turned away from their black blood denying it entirely. The others called it 'turning human' and usually it came with disastrous effects.

They were wild animals with instinct deeper seeded than any mortal animal. They needed to hunt, needed the release, needed to return to their base selves. Sesshoumaru seemed to pity her yet she should be the one pitying him. Out of any demon she could possibly think of this one was the least she would have thought to conform entirely. "So you're just going to crawl in a bottle and stuff yourself in whatever hole you find?"

When his aura heightened his human like features fell away instantly, before her stood Sesshoumaru… not Nandeska.

Toran inwardly grinned. This was the first time she had seen him look as she remembered him. She would quit teasing him he was her boss after all. She reached into her bag and plucked a burger from inside offering it to him, "Hamburger?"

"You have an apartment… I suggest returning to it."

Toran shook her head, "I'm keeping him and my food company."

Sesshoumaru slowly turned his head to the side to see a tall creature standing in the shadows, its red eyes glowing in the darkness having seen and heard the entire exchange. Sesshoumaru turned, his eyes narrowing at the demon that began to walk towards them. As the demon walked his skeleton like tail swayed with his gait massive leathery bat like wings extended out fully taking advantage of the high ceiling. A set of horns protruded from his messy violet hair, various markings marred his face. So this was the 'boy's' true form? The pale skinny creature stood almost a whole head taller than him and glanced at him with soft golden eyes.

Chronos had never really come out in this form in front of others for a really long time. He thought the floor was cleared when he came up here but was surprised by the pantheress. He knew they were demons from the moment he had met them but he kept to himself for centuries as most of his kind did nowadays. He reached back rubbing the back of his head giving his boss a nervous smile, "Gomen ne. Some walls needed to be knocked down so I came up here after hours. I didn't know anyone was…" He looked down at his feet and rubbed his hands together.

"Don't worry about it kid, we're all demons here." She handed the demon a burger and he muttered his thanks. "If a human does see you tell them you're into… cosplay? They told me at the agency to say that."

Toran set down her large bag and looked at the cornucopia of human food. "What do the humans call it… pigging out? I think I am ready for that. Want to join us Sesshoumaru?" She turned and leaned against the table folding her arms already knowing he would refuse.

The room went quiet and Sesshoumaru's eyes shifted from one demon to the other. In a rare nervous gesture furrowed his eyebrows and looked down to the ground. He was unfamiliar with camaraderie, he cared nothing for it during his life and his personality kept others away at him. Living centuries in solitude roaming the world there was no need to acquaint himself with anyone, but when the wilderness began to constrict around him the tightness of a noose around his throat became evident. His only constant companion aside from an incompetent imp was silence… it eventually drove him mad.

Through the years when their numbers began to dwindle he had interacted with other demons of his caliber yet they always seemed to idol worship him and shower him with pathetic nonsense one would consider compliments. If he desired such a thing he would have actually paid attention to Jakken.

He realized he was actually giving consideration to her offer.

Toran saw his small gesture and raised her eyebrows at it. She'd never seen Sesshoumaru expressive other than annoyance but this was entirely different and she just didn't know what to do or say. She nervously looked down at her feet as well unwilling to meet his gaze should he look back up. She didn't mean to mock him, or invite him thinking it would cause him such a downcast.

"Did you want to see the progress on your shipping docks Lord Nandeska?" Chronos suddenly announced causing the two other demons to slightly jump. "We can go over them while we pig out with Lady Toran."

Sesshoumaru simply stared at the demon that placed a hand on his shoulder leaning down to meet his eyes smiling brightly. He was not sure how to respond to this, no one had ever done this before. Walking ahead at the slight pushing from the demon behind him Sesshoumaru met Toran's startled expression with one of his own.

"Let me get my computer to show you the new rendering." Chronos whipped around.

Sesshoumaru evaded the sudden attack by ducking he held up his claws reflexively to counter attack but stayed his hand realizing he wasn't being attacked.

Toran held up her hands shoving back the demon's wing that almost knocked her over. "Watch when you turn around!" She hissed protecting her precious food.

Chronos reached up and rubbed the back of his neck nervously laughing, "Gomen ne!"

…

"So two of these royalties are greater in value than two of those numbers?" Toran mentally took note of the rules of the game scratching her head in confusion. She didn't get this at all.

Sesshoumaru silently looked at the cards he was holding onto. Reaching down he shoved a pile of black chips with a clawed finger. Looking over the cards he eyed the violet haired demon to make his move.

Chronos looked at his cards, looked at the pile, looked at his cards again and slid in a sloppy pile of black chips to match his bet.

Sesshoumaru narrowed his eyes to the boy across from him. This was proving to be more difficult than he originally thought. He had mistakenly miscalculated his opponent, an error he had not done in over three hundred years. As jovial as this demon acted bad at poker he was not. Plucking another chip from his pile he tossed it into the middle then waited.

Chronos set down his cards slowly.

"What does that mean?" Toran stared at his hand.

Sesshoumaru set his cards down. His lip twitched upwards, "Unexpected."

Chronos shrugged a shoulder reaching out taking the chips to his rather large stack, "Underestimation often is."

"So he beat you?" Toran stared at the cards in awe.

"Two hundred thousand I believe I owe you." Sesshoumaru reached into his pocket fishing for his checkbook.

Chronos stared blankly at him, "We were just playing Nandeska-sama no money just food. Besides you pay me enough. Another hand?" He held up the deck and smiled.

"Very well then." Sesshoumaru was not used to playing without the backing of hard cash behind it. Perhaps with a few more hands he would learn the demons strategy.

"You beat Sesshoumaru." Toran stared up at the demon wondering if he knew what that implication was. When the demon merely shrugged she realized he did not. "So how did you learn to play like that, I'm guessing there's some sort of tactic to it."

"Nothing like chess but when your human form consists of a twelve year old you have to learn other ways to earn money, luckily humans like to gamble." Chronos set the cards down waiting for his boss to cut the deck. "But… truth be told a nun taught me how to play."

"Really… a nun as in a Christian nun?" Toran was surprised one would not simply try and kill him or seal him away.

Sesshoumaru cut the deck and simply leaned back waiting for the next hand as the three of them were sitting on the marble floor surrounded by tons of food boxes.

Toran reached up trying to grab the donut that was firmly impaled on the spiny tip of Chronos' skeleton tail that was waving above his form. "Give that to me demon or I'll rip your throat and dance on it."

Chronos slanted his eyes at her before grinning, his tail swaying over her before he shook it and the donut fell in her hands. Both males watched as she stuffed it in her mouth unabashedly. "You know you're going to get fat."

"What the hell are you, my mom?" Toran bared her fangs at him and he simply held up his hands in defeat.

Sesshoumaru looked down at his cards before tossing them down, "I believe I won this round."

Chronos shook his head and rested his cards down. When he won again he stood up, his long bat like wings stretching upwards brushing the ceiling with the tips of his wings. "I have to knock some walls over and tear a ceiling down, anyone want to help?"

Toran shook her head as she held the box of chicken as though it was a lover, "I'm good. I've got a date with KFC."

Chronos turned to Sesshoumaru, "Sir would you like to demolish three floors with me?"

Sesshoumaru thought about the offer for a moment. Perhaps taking his frustration out on some inanimate objects would clear his mood. He stood unbuttoning his sleeves and rolling them up. "Let us proceed."

* * *

_Chronos is from Chrono Crusade: Kudos to anyone who caught that. He always struck me as a really nice guy that put up with a very feisty nun with a smile on his face with a somewhat playful personality. This is in no way a crossover, I am just occasionally using this character._

_KFC is not owned by me either. Now I want some._


	20. Twenty

"Kikyou… wake up."

Her brown eyes slowly opened before she shot up to a sitting position startling the elder woman. She sat there staring forward at the wall blankly until Miss Kira held a cat up to her face. The cold nose of the feline startled her. She crossed her eyes to stare at the big yellow eyes of the tabby that meowed loudly at her, "King George." She greeted the cat with a bow of the head. The cat simply laid his royal paw on her face.

Miss Kira knew the only way to startle Kikyou out of her odd behavior was to counter with another equally odd behavior. She put her fat feline down and handed the girl the phone, "Kikyou, you have a phone call."

"I have a phone call…" Kikyou slowly repeated her wondering who on earth would want to call her.

"It's my niece." The older woman in the fuzzy pink slippers and equally fuzzy bathrobe and grey hair in rollers handed her the telephone shaking her head at the girl's antics.

"Niece… brother's daughter… Higurashi." Kikyou took the phone and held it up to her ear.

Akiko Higurashi's calm voice struck her as odd.

"Kikyou, she needs you."

.

**To Wash it All Away**

**Twenty: Conscription.**

_._

_Five hours earlier…_

Mrs. Higurashi noticed Kagome's distant behavior when she came home from shopping. After her demonic change Kagome had become reclusive with good reason but even she could tell this was taking its toll on her. The weeks after the incident with Hojou Kagome caged herself again, throwing herself into her studying engrossed in trying to impress the college.

And as all caged wild animals… they needed release… or they'd snap.

Kagome stood by the window, her hand gently holding the curtain back as she stared outside looking up at the blue skies. It was then Mrs. Higurashi heard the sound of a faucet running. Kagome didn't even move when she asked her if she was still using the water. After turning off the water she heard the faucet in the first floor bathroom on. She turned that off as well. Through the whole house she was systematically shutting off every faucet.

The shower was the last one left on. Akiko turned the knob and shut it off as well. When she turned around she gasped, startled at the sight of Kagome standing just inches away from her, the girl often snuck up on her undetected and unknowing of her own silent steps but it was her eyes that caught her, ruby red glistening in the low light. "K… Kagome?"

This was not Kagome, this was a demon.

The demoness reached around her form and lightly flicked her finger turning the water on. She turned around slowly and walked out of the shower room. Akiko watched her turn on all the water one by one and then stand at the back window looking out into the shrine yard.

Souta stood by her side, a worried brow in concern. He was about to say something but Akiko shook her head, she would handle her daughter. "Kagome?" Akiko whispered when she neared Kagome. The woman slowly turned her head and pinned her with a pair of glassy red glowing eyes. There were no irises, no pupils save a faint circle where irises should be but devoid of those deep blue eyes. Partially in the dark Kagome seemed more ominous exposing the true nature of her form. "Please dear… how about some ice cream?" Akiko quieted when the demoness turned away from her to looking out towards the backyard.

Kagome finally spoke, her voice quiet and still. "There's something out there."

"What's out there dear?" Akiko was wondering what was bothering Kagome so she could help her daughter.

Kagome hugged herself tightly running her hands along her arms. "_Them_."

Them.

There was a quiver in her deep voice, something out there… someone out there scared her. Akiko stood in her daughter peripheral line of sight, "Who is _them_?"

"Demons."

Mrs. Higurashi closed her eyes and exhaled.

Slowly Kagome turned around fully facing her mother. Her deep red eyes glowed in the shadow that was cast over her features. Souta took a step away from the girl tugging his mother's hand wondering why Kagome was staring at their mother in such a way.

"You knew." Kagome simply put.

Akiko had to know, she had begged Kikyou to show her. They were close, at the park wrapping up an investigation into the attack that was allegedly done by 'a feral dog'. Kikyou pointed towards them… demons. They were as normal people, she would never have known otherwise. The only strangeness about them was their eyes they had a deep intensity within them, the color deeply profound. She feared for her daughter then, perhaps they could hide themselves but Kagome could not. What would happen if they found her daughter? She didn't want to find out. She had ordered Kikyou to keep her daughter sedated. Kagome slept and was thus in turn safe.

So to answer her daughter, "I knew."

Kagome nodded and turned placing her hand on the doorknob. Akiko reached up and rested her hand on Kagome's shoulder, "I only wanted to protect you."

Kagome bowed her head and nodded in understanding, "But I have to know."

Akiko took a step back, her hand slipping off Kagome's shoulder. "Be careful." She whispered, tears forming in her eyes.

Both Akiko and Souta stood beside one another staring at the open door and the now empty spot where Kagome once stood.

.

* * *

.

He was lying comfortably on the overstuffed leather sofa. Amongst the other furnishings in the room it stood out with its sheer size, yet it was the only thing large enough to accommodate the one sitting in it. Chin on a fist he clicked the remote sifting through the channels. After unsuccessfully finding anything that would catch his attention he gave up and flicked it off.

Running his large hands through his long thick black hair he leaned back and rested both hands on the arms of the couch looking up to the ceiling of the small home. "Remind me why we pay for cable?"

A petite woman with soft eyes peeked out of the kitchen where she had been washing the dishes, "To distract the children dear."

The man contemplated her answer for a moment, "Fair enough." Speaking of… one of the little brats was not asleep. "I know you're sneaking around." He called out down the hallway.

"Daddy how did you know?" A tiny little girl missing one of her front teeth peeked out from behind the door.

The man folded his arms smugly, "It's my secret."

The girl ran towards him, holding a stuffed rabbit in one hand as she leapt on her father's lap. She grinned up at him, her pigtails bouncing with her eagerness. "Tell me a story daddy!"

"It's way past your bedtime young lady." Her mother called out.

"Pleeeeaaassseee!" She begged to her father who of course caved into her large brown eyes and quivering lips.

"Only one." He tapped his chin thinking for a moment before he thought back to his own childhood. "In the long past there walked a great evil, one so malicious even demons feared him."

"Oooh demons." The girl's eyes widened in adoration.

"He was a strange creature, not human, not demon, not alive, not dead… white hair and violet eyes. If you saw him you would not believe such a handsome young boy to be evil, but never judge a book by its cover." He made sure she understood the side lesson. "Now there was a kind forest creature that was hunting fish with his son when the boy came up to them. The boy asked no questions, just held up a long halberd and without another word he cut off the kind forest creature's head."

The young child gasped and his wife folded her arms and leaned on the doorframe glaring at her husband, "Must your stories always have beheadings?"

The young girl turned to her mother, "But mama those are the best!"

"See." He grinned at his wife.

The tiny woman held up her arms and shook her head, "If she has nightmares you're going to be the one getting up."

"What happened to the son?" The young girl asked prodding her father to keep going with the story.

"The boy plucked the demons head off the ground and took it with him."

"That's evil!"

"Yes it is." The father continued. "But the son was smart, he called upon his fellow forest creatures and together they distracted the evil boy just long enough that the son snatched his father's head away. He carried it with him in a sack over his shoulder and took the head to his father's body but it was nowhere to be found. He searched the forest even employing the help of a kitsune and the kitsune's traveling companions to find it."

"What happened to his body?" She asked, awestruck with the story.

"Now that is an interesting question. Passing through the forest was another demon, one that had a special power to raise the dead. The father's body felt that power and stood up off the ground without his head and followed that demon, the demon in pure white."

"The power to raise the dead…" The daughter whispered.

"Yes, he was a very powerful demon, a demon so powerful he masqueraded in human form. The boy found his father's body with the powerful demon. He begged the demon in white to raise his father but the powerful demon was cold, angry and did not wish to help. Remember the boy was with a kitsune and his traveling companions; well one of those companions was a shrine priestess of great spiritual power, beautiful and kind."

"A shrine maiden?" The daughter asked. "Didn't you tell a story of evil priests and priestesses that wiped out the demons, and that's the reason there aren't anymore today?"

"I certainly did but that story with the evil priests takes place many decades after this one." He reminded her. "This priestess begged the demon in white to spare the kind forest creature." He tapped her nose, "And do you know what happened then?"

"The demon beheaded her?" The girl asked.

"No and I won't tell your mother you said that." He laughed. "The demon's heart softened with the pleading of the beautiful priestess and with the powerful magic of a sword the father's body began to heal and life breathed into him once again."

"Why did the boy steal the father's head?" She asked scratching her head in wonder.

"The boy wanted to see the world beyond using the father's eyes. What he was searching for he did not find though. What became of the evil boy? Now that is another story."

"Bed time." He set her on the ground and gave her a pat on the back.

"Can you tell me more tomorrow?" She asked, rubbing her eyes.

"Yes, now scat." He grinned when she went running back to her room. His smile faded as he slowly shifted his eyes to the right to the open French doors leading to the deck.

The full moon cast a soft glowing blue light that spread over everything in the horizon. His dark eyes darted back and forth searching the darkness as they reflected in the low light as a predator in search of his prey. A small hand rested on his large bicep, concerned eyes of his wife looking up at him. A low growl reverberated from the back of his throat, "Something's out there."

She looked around, but knew it was futile her eyes were not as good as his. She leaned closer to him when he growled lowly, for him to react like this was not something to be taken lightly. "What is it?"

"I… I haven't felt anything like this in years."

"Is it evil, like what happened to your father?" She knew his stories of demons were nothing more than his own memories of his childhood so long ago. The story he had just told their daughter had frightened him, the only thing she had ever seen that scared the massive demon she had come to love.

"No, nothing like that." He murmured, "Something I haven't felt in a long time, since the priests began to come after us."

"You don't think…" She worried for him, she knew of the stories of the demon hunters. He had terrible scars that told the story.

"Go inside." He whispered and she quietly obeyed. In a single effortless leap belying his size he was at the top of his home on the edge of his roof looking out into the horizon. He found what he was looking for but he didn't understand it.

A pair of red eyes stared back at him from afar, long shimmering white hair blowing in the winds touched with the blue light of the moon. He felt the saturation of power from a priest… what he was looking at was a demon. She turned from him and leapt away into the night. Grabbing his cell out of his pocket he dialed a number, "I want to report a rogue…"

.

* * *

.

It was strongest… there.

She stood precariously balancing herself on the edge of a rock wall. It was dark here, a park that overlooked the city of Tokyo on a small wooded hillside. Blue eyes slowly looked up between the tall buildings to a smaller upscale elaborate hotel.

This was beyond the little taps of power she would feel at a distance that would tickle her skin. This was a full permeation of the immediate area in the Tokyo district. Her heart began to beat quickly, breathing deepened and goose bumps formed on her skin.

She had been walking through the streets deeper into the city. There were taps of power all around her in the dense crowds. Most were faintly there, near but not strong. Perhaps that is why she could not sense them as a human, they were too weak for her to sense? Her mind was a whirl, she was so trained on all of it her mind was dizzy and unfocused on anything else.

Gripping the fuuyouheki tightly she ignored the sensations and passing by of other demons. One was almost upon her and someone suddenly crashed into her. Kagome was stunned at the seemingly normal looking teenager _'demon… he's a demon'._ They both stared at one another with outwardly shocked expressions as they circled around the other to continue their paths. _'He knows… how can he know?_' She kept her hand around the fuuyouheki wondering if after five hundred years the crystal was losing its power.

She hadn't been thinking when she left home, when she recovered her senses she realized she had been slowly heading in this direction sidetracked only by only strong powers. It had been building for some time, that pull that had kept her awake, set her on edge and frightened her. Feeling self-conscious she tugged down the white knit beanie keeping her ears firmly covered. Whatever was there was powerful, strong and she realized she couldn't fight off the urge to get nearer. What was there, really?

'_Taiyoukai.'_ A little voice whispered over her shoulder as her eyes were sent intently on that one area permeated with power.

"Well, well, what do we have here?"

Kagome turned around to see glowing red eyes in the darkness before his form came into view. He was a tall and very thin, young looking. Black hair stuck out from the bottom of his wool hat with two twitchy black ears over his head, tail swishing from side to side. Another stepped forward, grinning at the sight of her. A few others stepped forward and she turned her head this way and that realizing she was surrounded. "W… was there a cosplay convention that just got out?" She nervously said.

The leader outright laughed. "Is little red riding hood lost in the woods?" All the others began to chuckle under their breaths, "Don't you know walking in the woods alone is dangerous? There are all kids of bad things in there."

"Like demons?" Kagome offered. Everyone turned to one another shocked at how she casually said that one word. "I'll scream."

"Scream?" The thin man chuckled, "You think that'll help you? Who will believe you anyway?"

"She doesn't look like a taijiya to me." Another whispered to the leader.

"Taijiya?" Kagome whispered aloud, eyes blinking once at the insinuation.

The leader noticed her confused expression, "Not a demon hunter, are you? That's some pretty strong latent holy power you got there girly."

'_My purification.'_ Her hand flew up to the fuuyouheki. This could only disguise demonic aura it did nothing for spiritual power! "Wait, you're stalking me because I'm a shrine priestess?" When she said the word priestess some of the cats were surprised, a few even backed away from her.

"Don't you dare call yourself that!" The leader growled, baring fangs at her. "You may be a miko but you're NOTHING!"

It all happened so quickly it was over before it began. But her mind slowed every little moment storing it into memory. He leapt, she reacted. It was like ice in her veins shooting through her body all focusing on her fingertips. She had held up her hands to take cover but her powers spurred at her distress. After the brilliant white light receded away there was Kagome standing, both hands held up and the only remains of her attacker were ashes of dust that blew away in the winds along with violet and white sparkles.

It was deadly quiet.

She looked down at her hands that felt painfully cold, a hint of blue frost at the tips of her finger that burned like ice. Blue eyes looked up to the shocked/mortified faces of the others. A few fled in utter terror, other's narrowed their red eyes at her. Kagome turned and leapt over the railing into the woods and began to run.

She felt rather than heard them coming. Their soft steps were behind her, some up in the trees. _'Get off the ground!'_ She wouldn't be caught from above. Running up the fire escape she fled on the rooftop of densely packed houses deeper into the city. Whipping around when she came to a tall brick wall she saw the nekoyoukai closing in on her. Calling forth her spiritual power to her fingertips she charged in the middle of them all holding out her hands that glowed a mixture of blue and white and violet.

They parted but kept running after her. She climbed up a ladder on the side of an apartment building and ducked under a billboard narrowing her eyes at the large gap between the tall buildings. She rushed as fast as she could and leapt…

* * *

Between misplaced strands of long ink colored hair hazel eyes slowly opened.

The light shadow of the window was cast on the elaborate vaulted ceiling. He sat in the middle of the empty room, a partially empty bottle at his feet. Slowly he stood like a shadow rising from the ground. Holding up a hand he brushed aside the thick curtain in exertion pulling them off the decorative rod. They fell to the ground pooling at his feet with a loud thud.

Closing his eyes he felt the powers at the edge of his senses nearing this way. There were eight of them, the intensity of their aura suggested they were hunting or giving chase even possibly doing the unthinkable and attempting to ambush him. Instantly long talons formed as his body tensed. Let them come and he would show them what a taiyoukai was capable of.

The blood rushed through him, heart pounding in his ears as he took in a deep breath.

It was then his eyes snapped open, slit like iris constricting, now golden eyes narrowing.

There was another headed this way, something that would cause his blood to boil. It was an absence of being, like a brilliant aura with nothing in its center. An oddity itself but it was the power itself that sent him on edge. Even now he could not forget the sensation, as though he was expunged in a vat of ice water burning his skin traveling through his veins to his heart.

He could never forget the power of purification.

His heart raced, breath hitched and a slight amount of fear ran through his mind at the magnitude. _'Impossible!'_

His sensitive ears picked up the sounds of a catfight on the roof, growling and hissing. Leaping forward the bay windows flew open, twisting around his bare feet found purchase on the metal railing of the deck and with a slight push he sailed upwards into the sky, windows passing by. He silently landed on the ledge crouching.

Being out of his own domain he did not bother masking his youki, he did this to be left alone by the lesser trash. They would learn what it was to bother someone of his caliber. A sadistic little smile twitched the corner of his lips, perhaps this would prove useful to expel his pent up energy.

Slowly he walked forward, claws out narrowing his eyes at those who would intrude his privacy. One felt his aura and whipped around. The studded teenager hissed at him grabbing the one nearest her. The two of them stared with wide eyes before turning and running, leaping off the roof to another into the night.

A dark growl emanated from the back of his throat and several others turned at his announcement. These were older, though they looked as teenagers they were perhaps past their first century. They hissed at him and flexed out their claws.

"The priestess is ours!"

Sesshoumaru growled, eyes bleeding red.

They launched themselves at him.

.

* * *

.

Kagome knew when they cornered her she was in deep trouble. There was a water tower above her, concrete behind her and cats in front of her blocking her from all sides.

Then she felt it, as though a dam burst sending energy crackling through her veins as though she had been struck by lightning. Whoever this was caught their attention and they turned away from her to fight them. She looked around breathlessly to find an escape from this. She reared her fist back and swung upwards with all her strength. She darted out from under the tower just when the deafening sound of splintered wood caused everyone to pause from their fight and turn around to the tower just as the bottom burst dumping out thousands of gallons of water.

Her heart raced as she ran towards the ledge. She caught a glimpse of him, the man with power so great it scared her. He was barefoot, black pants no shirt and long ink colored hair. He turned and suddenly the sounds all around them died away into silence save her heartbeat, their eyes met, blue against gold. The energy around him was so great it prickled her skin physically and her heart raced faster than it had ever beat before.

'_Run.'_ Her mind screamed at her and she ripped her eyes away from him as everyone began to scatter.

Kagome leapt, her arms spread out in an elegant swan dive. Somewhere she heard the sound of her name but she was only focused on the sound of her own heart and the wind rushing by. Reaching out she grabbed the edge of a metal railing and hung on as her body slammed into the side of the wall. Wincing she twisted herself laying her stomach on the stucco when she looked up and saw golden eyes staring down at her. The winds played with his long ebony hair, the lack of light casting his face in shadow but she couldn't focus on anything other than those eyes.

The hissing caught her attention. She saw the neko demons leaping from balcony to balcony closing in on her. Kagome looked back at the demon and he tipped forward and began to run down the side of the building towards her. His eyes dangerously narrowed.

She let go.

The last thing she remembered before her back collided with metal was the sound of her name called out again before everything turned dark.

* * *

He stood on the edge of the railing staring down at the scene.

When she hit the car the neko gang had retreated away quickly, not wanting to be responsible for her death and having to answer to those that would surely come seeking answers. How could they answer anyway? They were stalking and chasing a human priestess with intent. That alone carried a sentence of banishment… possibly death. They would of course question him as it occurred at the hotel he was so conveniently staying at. What a bother. Dispassionately he turned away from the gruesome sight and took a silent step back onto his own balcony. He stepped off the railing to the marble floor.

The sound of a faint heartbeat and a gurgling cough stopped him cold.

The holy aura was there… but very weak.

Turning he looked down. What he expected to find was all for naught, the dead priestess was limping heavily using a black haired schoolgirl in a green fuku as a crutch. He narrowed his eyes glaring at the scene, fingers wrapping around the railing gripping tightly. _'Another priestess.'_ Her aura was pale in comparison to the first but it was stronger than any human that took the façade of priest these days. The black haired girl sat the other on a motorcycle and looked up.

He paused.

'_I know this face.'_ Why did he know this face? She looked around to see if anyone was watching. They sped away into the night when the sirens were heard and before the humans began to open their doors and look outside over their balconies.

He would have to be quick. The local authorities were already on the site looking at the damaged car. The agency had not come yet, but they would. It was all for naught, they would find very little clues. The water from the water tank wiped everything, scents and imprints.

What he found was far from the investigation. It had been carelessly tossed aside. He plucked the woven hat that lay in the dirt. Deep black blood permeated on it.

This was no human.

She was demon.


	21. Twenty One

When the door opened a crack he held up his badge, "Detective Kaisho… OEA." He whistled softly when he entered the foyer. Everything was marble, expensive and opulent. One night here would be a year's wages probably. He could really get used to a place like this.

The taiyoukai was half dressed, wearing an unbuttoned black shirt loose ink colored hair unbound. He casually entered the living area which had a generously stocked bar and sat on a white leather couch folding his arms and legs staring up at him… actually glaring up at him with cold intense hazel eyes that flashed gold for a moment revealing his true nature.

"This is the second time tonight I have been disturbed." His deep voice cut the silence. "Ask your questions and get out."

The wolf shivered at his voice and the intense wavering of his youki swelling with his anger. "My superiors have extended their sincere apology for disturbing you Lord Nandeska." He watched the demon just shrug his shoulder as though their apologies were inconsequential. It should matter the OEA didn't kiss just anyone's ass. "I just need to take a statement as to what happened here."

"No accusations?" Sesshoumaru raised a brow at the rather young bushy haired wolf standing before him. "Your predecessor did enjoy throwing theories."

Kaisho grinned, "Yea I've heard the stories. I worked as a street cop for a few decades and a detective for another before I had to 'have an accident' and retire."

"Quaint tale." Sesshoumaru tilted his head to the side resting his cheek on a fist, "What does that have to do with me?"

"I'm not Colonel Ayame, that's the point. I don't jump to conclusions." Kaisho defended himself at the rather catty bastard, "I need your statement so I can get out of your fur." It was quiet for a moment before Lord Nandeska spoke next recanting the tale of some street random neko gang chasing after a human that leapt to her death. "Did you recognize any of these nekoyoukai?"

"I would not degrade myself."

"And the victim?"

"I repeat my last statement."

"Ah." Kaisho knew with this one pulling answers would be like pulling teeth. "Can you give me a description of either the gang or the victim?"

"The youkai were a bunch of juvenile neko or hanyou neko, the human was as any other human… black hair dark eyes and short."

"Juveniles…" Kaisho hummed, "Did they have tattoos that were visible?"

Sesshoumaru pointed to his jugular area, "They all had something similar."

"Damn." Kaisho muttered under his breath.

"These kids disturbed me without warrant… is there something I should know about them?" Sesshoumaru pressed the detective.

There were so few demons left in the world, it was instinct to run away from predators as powerful as Lord Nandeska. For them to come into his direct aura had to mean this human was more important to them than losing their lives to someone who could easily take it. "Alone they're just stupid kids together they're just petty criminals. They steal, fence stolen goods and just wreak mayhem."

"There is more to it than what you are telling me."

"The gang itself is nothing really noteworthy, but to go after someone around someone like you means they're just lackeys for something bigger."

"Organized crime?" Sesshoumaru huffed, "Just where were you when someone came to my office to try and kidnap me? In fact no one came, odd considering I relieved that human of his left arm."

"I wasn't working otherwise I'd have been there within the hour." Kaisho grinned, "I'm sure that particular human didn't need that arm." The lord, for the first time that night, smiled. It was a hint of a smile but a smile none the less.

"Anyone with money can hire them." Sesshoumaru pointed it out.

"Yes but they don't go near taiyoukai." Kaisho tapped his pencil on his notebook, "I just wonder who this girl was that they'd risk all for her?"

"She was a priestess." Sesshoumaru almost smiled when the detective had this stunned/shocked expression.

His pencil slipped from his fingertips and hit the ground. "Are you certain?"

"I have lived long enough to never forget the imprint of purification."

"You _felt_ her?" he asked incredulous at this bit of news. No one is that powerful anymore.

"Indeed." Sesshoumaru sipped some wine, "From quite a distance away, why do you think I engaged in such a meaningless fight."

Kaisho pocketed the notepad. "I have to go."

"Must I turn myself in I did kill a few of them."

Kaisho shook his head taking his coat and hanging it over his shoulder, "I've got it covered."

"Effective." Sesshoumaru leaned back, "See yourself out."

Kaisho set his personal business card on the coffee table, "I doubt it, but if they bother you again let me know."

Sesshoumaru held the glass of liquor to his lips unmoving as he heard the wolf detective leave his penthouse suite. As soon as the door shut he slowly smiled, his eyes partly turning red in the low light. Just knowing she was a priestess the detective easily surmised she had perished and the neko gangs took her body.

He already knew who was behind this it was only a matter of time before the OEA figured it out if they hadn't already surmised it. There would be hell to pay but he had lived through this blight several times over… he would live through it again.

No he was more interested on their _intended_ victim.

**.**

**To Wash it all Away**

**Twenty One**

.

"She fell. She's dead." The cat kept his head bowed as he recanted what had happened.

It was a traditional style room in dark woods cast in the low light of candles and air thick with incense. The gang of neko's stood in the middle before a shadowed raised platform where a man sat in the dark on a tatami mat sipping sake from a saucer shrouded in a dark cape.

"Yet you are empty handed." His deep voice was quiet and did not echo off the walls but was stern enough to cause the subordinates to wince. "You were told to bring them to me… dead or alive."

"T… the dog general was there."

"I see." The man leaned forward. There was a long pause when as he sipped his sake. In a calm voice he said evenly, "I am disappointed in you."

"We can't go up against a taiyoukai!" The neko leader growled, "We lost five easily we barely made it out alive. You said bring the bodies, fine… but you never said anything about going up against someone of that caliber."

"Yes I heard your excuses." He cut them off, "You are dismissed." He waved his hand and the small group turned and left him in silence.

A tall woman came out of the darkness into the soft light. She had one yellow eye, one blue and wore a powder blue that matched the color of her cropped hair.

"Yoru, their services will not be needed anymore." He sipped his sake.

She turned into the darkness, a smirk on her face as her hand rested on the hilt of her katana.

.

* * *

.

"She wants to see you."

Kaisho looked up to see the pale creature staring at the ground in front of him. She wore all white accenting pure white skin and her blind eyes whose irises were a pale shade of grey. She was an apparition, one foot in the waking world another in the spirit world. He was used to her 'creepier than anything else he had ever seen before' presence but she was a nice kid… she even liked to eat ice cream and watch movies even though she was blind and technically the walking dead.

He sighed and stood up grabbing the stack of files he had been working on knowing it was only time before he'd be called to _**her**_ office.

"She isn't alone."

Kaisho paused. "What do mean?"

"The 'others' are here as well."

"Fuck." He swore under his breath and ran his claws through his long unruly black hair.

"And… the liaison."

Kaisho growled loudly, balling his fists together drawing blood with his claws. The girl began to braid his hair tightly and securing it with a black cord. It was no use, a lot of strands came out already and his messy bangs would not be tamed. He shut his eyes and with some concentration his elfish ears and talons dulled, naturally reddish eyes turned dark brown and his tail disappeared.

"Good luck." She whispered watching him walk down the hall towards the High Commander's Chambers. She shivered lightly knowing there were some human behind that door.

Kaisho stood under the only beam of light in the darkened room. A few sets of eyes stared back at them, his heightened sense of smell easily picked out the human liaison.

Heels echoed off the bare walls as a tall thin woman stepped out into the light staring at him with deep red eyes. She wore a black suit, black hair slicked back into a single bun making her pale white skin and tipped ears stand out.

"Commander Soutan?" He asked worriedly at her demonic appearance in the presence of humans.

"My natural form was requested." She turned and stood beside him facing her demons… the members of the administration human liaison. They were under constant threat from the human governments, the administrating always hovering over their shoulder making sure everything was by the book and keeping to the code the humans laid out for them. Lapdogs to human government… that's what the OEA was. In other countries it was different but in Japan they couldn't so much as sneeze without asking a human for permission first. If there was a job he hated more than cleaning toilets it was his commander's job… not only was she the High Commanding Officer for the OEA's policing force she was also a 'catch all' that stood between him and every agent and this political bullshit.

A small thin set man stepped forward in oversized suit with small square glasses staring critically up at him. "Detective Kaisho." He looked through the file he had tucked under his arm, "It says you're a wolf?"

"Something like that." He folded his arms shifting his weight on one leg.

"You were hired onto the OEA a few months ago." He held out his hand, "I am Kato, the liaison."

Kaisho stared at the man's proffered hand but did not reach out to shake it.

The human simply dropped his hand uncaring that he had been slighted. "I know what you must think of my organization but assure you I am an ambassador of sorts to oversee operations."

"To make sure we're all leashed properly?"

Soutan pinched the bridge of her nose. "Kaisho shut your mouth before I shut it for you."

The human smiled slightly as he affixed his glasses opening the file he had under his arm. "Quite an impressive resume you have. You were the senior detective investigator at the police precinct before retiring. You have some of the highest letter of recommendations from all your captains. I am surprised you only stay on only ten years at a time."

"When my coworkers start to age I have to quit, change my name and move to the next city."

"Yes we followed your records through all the way to your enlistment in the army in World War Two." He looked up at the wolf who looked like he just turned 21.

"That's right." Kaisho shifted nervously, "I was there when they dropped the bomb… saw some shit that give me nightmares. You humans and your wars..."

"Before that record there is nothing. There is also a gap in parentage."

"I'm a wolf, we live in packs. All of the bitches raise all the children." He shrugged. "I'm no lord or anything."

"Your father was, wasn't he? What of your mother?"

Kaisho glared at the human, his eyes momentarily turning red and an unnatural wind began to swirl around him.

"Mr. Kato." Soutan stepped forward, "Internal investigations into my own forces are handled by this agency… not yours. He was chosen because of his recommends. I suggest we get to the point."

"I just have one quick question before we begin. Why did you never enlist with your own kind's policing agency?"

"Can I be blunt?"

Soutan rolled her eyes, "When aren't you?"

"I had more freedom masquerading as a human."

"I see." The emissary closed his files. "Since joining you've closed many cases. I commend you for your work but recently…"

"I did everything by the book like I'm supposed to. I could do more but I don't because I'd get my hands slapped." He growled lowly.

"We are not questioning your investigations Agent Kaisho." A demoness' soft voice spoke up from the shadowed area.

"Oh really?" He somehow didn't buy that bullshit and told them as much.

"We are just questioning the cases themselves." A bird demoness from the shadows called out. "There was a report of a rogue that was given very little attention."

Kaisho nodded, "We took a statement but there was not much to go on. I've posted patrols in the area just in case the demoness returns."

"Could this rogue be the same as the one who assaulted the civilians at the park?"

"Lady Ambassador we have many rogues and unregistered demons." Kaisho answered her, "This may just be two separate cases."

"What else is being done about this case?"

"None, it's hard to go on the two kids statements they were both high at the time."

"Did you try taking their memory out with a thought chaser?" The bird demoness offered.

"Our thought chaser can only pull out their memories."

"Meaning?"

"Meaning… they were extremely high on drugs and so she can only see what they saw… it's unclear, unfocused and gives us no clues." He already lined this out in is reports. They pulled the humans memories but it didn't do them any good. The thought chaser, a demoness that can read thoughts and memories with a single touch, only saw a blurred image of the darkness two red eyes staring before the creature overpowered them.

"That isn't good enough Agent." The bird demoness tutted, "The human governor does not buy our tale of a random wild creature attack he wants answers and you're in charge to give us those answers."

"That's enough." Soutan chimed in. She put her fingers to her forehead rubbing the bridge of her nose softly, "You'll have to smooth this over with him Lady Ambassador."

The bird demoness scoffed, "It is hard considering the victim is his own son."

"A son that was on drugs, something not released to the media and if he wants to keep his good name he'd better back off." Soutan glared. "We have leverage in this matter, deal with it." She barked at the bird demoness.

"Commander Soutan…" The human emissary began.

"No human is above the law Kato!" Soutan slammed her fist on a desk leaving a rather large imprint on the metal. Everyone took a step back at her outburst crackling lightning covered her form momentarily before she composed herself. Straightening her suit she looked at the human squarely, "Should we ignore the bigger picture?" She said watching him shift uncomfortably from one foot to another.

"I will make this disappear." The human muttered.

Kaisho shifted his eyes from his commander to the human, "What aren't you telling me?"

"Kaisho." Soutan turned towards him, "I read your initial report last night… I would like you to tell everyone here your findings."

"Efficient." The human was impressed. He had never witnessed such punctuality in any human precinct.

"I would also ask that you withhold the name of the taiyoukai whom you interviewed as you did in your reports." Soutan looked over her shoulder to the human and the members of the administration.

Kaisho grinned.

"Commander Soutan you are commanded to not withhold information in this." The human argued.

"You can requisition the name of this demon if you don't like it but I wouldn't suggest it, you'd have to go higher than the president for that and seeing as there is no one higher then… it is a fruitless pursuit." Soutan was glad that at least one of them had enough governmental pull that his anonymity was assured. Besides herself only Kaisho and the Founding leader of the OEA knew Lord Nandeska's true nature… and name.

Kaisho recanted the events that Lord Nandeska had told him the previous night especially pointing out the markings the neko gang had on their necks.

"They went into the presence of a greater demon, killed the girl and took the body…"

"Her holy power was confirmed… it was a priestess." Kaisho cut in.

The members of the administration began to mutter amongst themselves at the news. His superior merely stared down at him in silent contemplation of the situation at hand. They were fixated on the subject of the murder of an alleged priestess. Sure you couldn't swing a dead cat in Japan without hitting some sort of shrine but real priests and priestesses with any scrap of holy power was a rarity.

After the holy cleansing that wiped most of the demons from the face of Japan many years passed and humans began disbelieving in their existence. It was after decades, when the demons that still lived had licked their wounds sufficiently did they ever retaliate, slaughtering anyone with the gift of purification, and then through time natural selection did the rest. The third eye grew atrophied… humans simply did not have the power anymore.

Those demons still old enough to remember that time hold fierce hatred towards them… but others learned that these humans that were gifted their powers at birth no matter how latent had incredible restoring properties, regenerative properties. When the humans of this era learned the only natural enemies to demons were those of holy power they sanctioned banishment for anyone trying to harm one, and death for anyone who murdered one. There were black markets of body snatchers that claimed to sell the hearts of holy figures. They sold for millions but most of them weren't real.

"That is… interesting news." Soutan whispered softly.

"Just how interesting?" Kaisho heard the pause in her voice. His commander stared at him for a moment before looking over her shoulder, red dangling earrings chiming with her movement. Obviously their superiors were withholding information from him.

Soutan walked over to the emissary who handed her a folder he had been carrying. "We found your assailants." She handed Kaisho the file.

The wolf opened up the file looking down at the pictures he raised a brow and looked up to his Commander.

"They were all executed, beheaded. Their bodies elegantly displayed in a public park in the Tokyo district frozen in place. We have a cleanup crew there right now." She whispered to him. "You perhaps do not know much of our Raven List, demons sentenced to death without trial."

"I know enough about your assassins." Kaisho muttered, "This MO fits the description of your pantheress, Yoru." He may be a mouthful but he wasn't stupid, he'd read their hit lists employing trained mercenaries to find them. The pantheress assassin had a black mark on her, a warrant out for her death. There were demons in the OEA whose job it was to specifically hunt her down. Street word was she didn't work for anything less than a million per head. She was a political assassin her hits were major corporate heads, taiyoukai… people of immense power. So for her to slaughter a bunch of petty criminals was beneath her.

That is of course… unless she was working for someone.

"Oh no." He whispered. Pieces began to fit in a puzzle he did not want to solve. "It's him… isn't it?"

"There is a possibility that the hanyou has regenerated once again."

Kaisho felt the cold shiver at thought of dealing with 'the other' once again. "That's not possible." No one knew why he could not die, how he could survive the times they killed him but he did… does… and the world isn't ready for another world war.

.


	22. Twenty Two

_**Three years later…**_

.

"Higurashi."

She stopped typing and shut her eyes tightly balling her fists.

It was notoriously known throughout the floor Manager Saga was a hentai. He made most of the women especially the interns uncomfortable. Then one day came the tall white haired beauty and the harassment had escalated to a whole new level. He abandoned his pursuit of the others which gave them a huge level of relief but focused his attentions on the exotic looking creature instead. Everyone gave her looks of pity whenever they saw her. He made an art form of calling her in so often that she wouldn't finish her own tasks at the end of the day which would of course… get her called into his office for reprimand.

As a caged animal scratches at the walls begging to be released was her anger. The question _'__is __it __worth __this__'_ came and left and she made her choice.

"Higurashi if you walk out that door do not bother coming back through them."

The office grew quiet. Everyone stilled and held their breath standing up from their cubicles looking from one to another.

She slowly turned her head and looked over her shoulder, "That's right you need this internship for your final grade. Now sit back down." He didn't expect her to give him one of the most sinister glares he had ever received before grabbing her bag and walking out, shoving the door hard almost snapping it off its hinges.

Everything was still for what seemed to be a few minutes. A few women looked at one another, an unspoken understanding between them. One by one they began to file out of the office leaving behind a very nervous manager.

"Oh shit."

.

**To Wash it All Away**

**Twenty Two**

.

She narrowed her pale pink eyes gauging the distance before her grip on the leather wrapped metal tightened. Raising the club in perfect posture she hit the tiny white ball sending it flying through the blue skies. Reaching up to shield her eyes from the sun she watched the ball land on the green rolling on the pristine grass past another tiny ball before disappearing into its designated destination.

"I believe I win." She turned to her companion who was staring out across the grass. "Or would you like to finish the set."

Hazel eyes narrowed at his golf ball lying innocently on the green about two hundred yards away. Hers had disappeared into the hole. Shrugging a shoulder he shook his head, "There is no need."

"As you wish, Nandeska-sama."

He had taken up this sport not half a century ago just to indulge some of his business associates. He found they have a weakness for the sport and sometimes wager such things as part of their companies or shares they held in companies he desired. It was not hard for him to build his empire when the humans were just giving them away. Golf was a fairly boring game that had nothing to do with the mind but the mortals were so fond of trivial useless things. But for a demon this game was different. One as he had to hold back quite a bit of their power in order to not send that tiny ball made of rubber bands halfway across the country.

There was only one person that had completely eluded him in this event. To date he had never bested her and he doubted he ever could. He had no idea how such a person could have learned such control. He slipped his club into the golf back and hoisted the bag over his shoulder making sure to grab hers as well. The bag itself was almost as tall as she was. The tiny woman barely surpassed his waist and always dressed oddly, this time she was in some pink and white ruffled dress full of ribbons. Her manner of clothing was confusing to him considering who she was. She accented her clothing with a choice pair of pink bunny slippers. Her blank white hair was up in two pigtails held fast with a huge bow. If he was not the person he was Sesshoumaru would almost be ashamed of being beaten in such a manner by someone who by all appearances was a twelve year old.

His phone suddenly began to chirp and he held up a finger to the girl who stared blankly at him. He realized she rarely spoke and the gesture was unnecessary. "Shiro, I am not to be disturbed." After the human had explained himself Sesshoumaru's brows furrowed, "All of them on the floor?" After a moment he reached up and pinched the bridge of his nose. "Get those overpaid zealots called lawyers on it… now." He flipped his phone closed, "I have business to attend to."

She stared as he pulled out his checkbook and began filling it out quickly. The lord seemed to agitate quickly lately, "Trouble?"

"Class action lawsuit pending." He muttered now in a foul mood. He held out a check for an undisclosed sum and she took it stuffing it in a little pink bag. The both of them walked to the golf cart in silence and he tossed their bags in the back of the cart automatically sitting in the passenger seat earning odd looks from other golfers watching the little girl drive the cart back to the club.

There was this unspoken rule between them.

She drove the golf cart. Period.

"Hey Nandeska what does it feel like to be beaten by a kid?" One of the other executives called out to him before the small group began to chuckle.

The two demons stopped, turned and stared at the executive man and his group. "Would you like to put your money where your mouth is?" The girl challenged unwaveringly. "If you want me to hand you your asses on a platter you only need to call."

"Maybe I'll take you up on that." A younger executive took a step forward.

She had not seen him before on the field and grinned in anticipation. "Nandeska… I believe I will stay behind." She looked at the man who just gave her a quirked brow. "How about we start small, fifty thousand American?"

"Small?" His eyes widened.

Sesshoumaru turned around shaking his head once knowing the girl was about to 'hand him his ass on a platter' quite boldly in front of his colleagues.

.

* * *

.

She was chewing the end of her pencil nervously when someone stood in front of her, two hands rested on the edge of her desk as they leaned forward.

"I heard you started a scandal at your internship."

Blue eyes slanted up to see Hojou Naibu staring down at her, a smug expression on his face that did not match his soft brown eyes. "Oh sorry I didn't know you were there… you were saying?"

"Very funny Higurashi."

Kagome folded her arms and looked away, "I've had a hard week, go away."

He held up both hands and took a step backwards. "Fine… okay. I just wanted to let you know that sleeping your way up the ladder works if you don't sue your boss."

Kagome narrowed her eyes at him. Hojou Naibu was a straight marked student as well as Kagome and both were among the top five percentile in the entire school and just like her he was taking full credit hours and unfortunately for her they were both majoring in the same thing.

It was scandalously known Hojou brown nosed his way by dining with teaches and being friends with faculty. So why was he here? Inasmuch as he tried his hardest the last couple of months in high school to outdo her in every way shape and form the denial letter from Tokyo University devastated him and he took his anger out on Kagome… he came here simply because being related to one of the board members helps.

It seems her little Hojou had grown up into this spiteful arrogant bastard before her.

She slid her foot folding her legs causing him to tumble backwards avoiding it almost falling over. "Whoops." She gave him a sweet look batting her pretty eyes.

"Ha ha Kagome."

Kagome slammed her fists on the desk standing up stiffly, "It's _**Miss**_ Higurashi to you." She bit back a growl when he took a long look up her body lecherously before meeting her eyes. He shrugged at her glare and walked away from her. Kagome rubbed her temples slowly sighing softly as she sank back in her seat.

She had a hard week already without lacing Hojou in the mix. Walking into the human resource office was probably the hardest thing she had ever done. She never wanted to jeopardize her chances in her field. Several days later she received a phone call from an attorney for the company. Apparently she wasn't the only woman that Manager Saga had been harassing, a whole slew of other's filed complaints as well following her lead. Now she had to go in for a statement.

It wasn't the best way to get noticed by an employer, she'd be lucky if this didn't haunt her wherever she went.

"He wants to see you."

Kagome was startled at the whispered voice drawing her from her thoughts. She was picking at her claws again nervously. "Is he mad?" She whispered to her classmate that had been standing there kami knows how long.

"Who knows?" He shrugged.

She stood knowing that she would eventually have to face her own demons in this matter. He walked beside her as she headed down the auditorium and stood before a wooden door with a window that had its blind drawn. She looked at her classmate who was staring at her with his pale blue eyes that held just a hint of pink. He gave her a reassuring nod of his head.

When she stepped foot on campus Kagome was hit with the realization that she was utterly alone. In the past she was accustomed having her friends or family. After her return from the Sengoku Jidai she unfortunately became familiar with the sound of silence and the friendship of solace. But now, she was truly alone.

Then he came, a transfer student from Tokyo University and she could not help to notice him. He appeared her age with pure white shaggy hair that fell loosely at his shoulders mostly covering his too pale face. He always wore white further accenting his albinism looking like a porcelain doll. Their similarities were uncanny. But the oddity was she could not feel him. The moment they locked eyes they had both known the true nature of the other, he may pass off for albino but those eyes… those are demons eyes. "Thank you, Hakudoushi."

"Call me."

Hakudoushi turned and headed out of the lecture hall leaving her alone in the dungeons. She reached up and before she knocked he told her to come in already knowing she was standing outside waiting. His office was a mess of papers, books and tons of pencils and pens in various mugs with barely any room for a desk and chair.

"What an interesting predicament you're in Miss Higurashi." He was a short very aged man that always wore brown pants with suspenders and argyle socks and no matter what shirt he was wearing he always wore a bow tie.

"I'm so sorry to disappoint you Sensei. You've been so patient with me."

"Now we can really see what the big guys do when they're being threatened." He stood up excitedly rummaging through some random dusty book. "By now I'm sure a lawyer has called you. I've never had a student involved in such a legal rapture yet."

Kagome stared, "Huh?"

"You see they'll make you give a statement and probably will contact you in a few months with some choices." He was giggling under his breath, "How exciting." He clapped his hands together excitedly.

She was positively stunned.

"Has the media come in on it?"

"Media… no I didn't call anyone. I didn't even know others had also walked out."

"Hmmm well no use crying over spilled milk now!"

"But sensei this is my life, my future. I may have screwed it up forever."

"Oh." He rubbed his chin nervously seeing the sadness in her lovely face. "Listen, I have a friend at Yamamoto Broadcasting, one of the major managers. She owes me a huge favor and has always accepted my recommendations. It isn't what you came here for but perhaps you could get a fresh start once this settles." He found another odd scrap of paper, "Speak to Miss Aishiro, tell her I sent you."

Kagome took the paper and bowed respectfully, "Arigato Sensei."

"This doesn't excuse you from writing a very detailed essay on everything that has happened."

"I won't leave anything out." She waved her hand and walked out startled to see Hojou standing close enough. He had heard everything. She narrowed her eyes at him and brushed by not sparing him a glance.

He watched her walk out, "Yamamoto Broadcasting industry huh?"

.

* * *

.

"You're overstressed."

Hazel eyes narrowed.

Her deep brown eyes narrowed meeting his glare with her own, "Your sleeping pill alcohol cocktails have to stop Nandeska." She tossed a file on his desk, the drug test with the confirmation of his drug usage.

Sesshoumaru peered down at the numbers and letters that made no sense to him. He shrugged it off nonchalantly, leaning backwards in his executive chair and torturously slowly folding his arms and legs.

The doctor sighed, exasperated at her stubborn patient. Taking off her glasses setting them aside she ran her thin fingers through her cropped black hair. "I can give you something stronger but I cannot if you take them with alcohol." He was not listening to her, just looking towards the window overlooking the Kyoto business district.

"My body can handle it."

"No, it can't." His eyes slanted towards her, not turning his head. "We are not immune to getting drunk Nandesk and kami-sama only knows what you're capable of under the influence. Also if you dilute your blood with that shit you may temporarily lose your ability to mask yourself."

"Is that all?" He said with an amused tone.

She held up her hands thoroughly done with this patient. Standing she gathered her paperwork, "You do realize I have to submit your physical." He was particularly difficult whenever she came for the required exam every decade. She was about to leave when she paused and looked over her shoulder.

They lived in a world of rules, of restraint and pretty collars locked in pretty cells. They were not meant to be bound in such a way, the stronger they were the more cruel life became. The walls were always closing in around them, those of pure blood especially. The OEA kept instilling laws and rules and even though this particular demon was powerful enough to be beyond most of the rules they imposed on their species he was still imprisoned here in his own glass cage.

She turned. Nandeska was in his own species full sexual maturity that demanded release. Rutting with humans probably left him empty and frustrated. He had remarkable control but as a person trained to see and hear every nuisance she could tell he was waging an internal war with himself. Scribbling something she set it on his desk, "Therapy would help."

He snorted.

"But I know you better than that." She placed her fingers on the prescription and slid it over to him, "It's newly tested. It is powerful enough for a taiyoukai." He glanced at her. "It's to help you sleep."

"You may leave it, I may use it."

"You're welcome." She shook her head and walked out of his office knowing he would never downright thank her. Closing the door behind her softly she leaned against it resting the back of her head on the thick wood.

"You are gifted with infinite patience."

She turned to the side looking at the dark figure sitting on one of the leather couches in the waiting room. "Even infinite patience wanes with this one."

He snorted.

She walked towards the thin adolescent that was busy playing solitaire on the glass coffee table. Resting her leather bag on the table she sat down across from him and leaned forward folding her arms to stare at the taiyoukai's long time personal guard. If there was someone who knew the man, it was him. He slowly looked up over his cards and looked at her, pale blue eyes staring at her as he raising a brow knowing she was going to ask him something. "How is he doing?"

"You're the doctor."

"Mentally."

He rested his cards on the table, the game was lost anyway. Running his fingers through his messy long reddish brown hair he looked over towards the closed doors. That one had very acute hearing and he would damn himself if he said anything incriminating. "The same."

"Drugs and hookers?" He nodded and she shook her head leaning away from him. "He's going to break one day." She said worriedly.

"This is Lord Nandeska you speak of." He shook his head shuffling the cards to repeat the game. "He is self-disciplined."

She nodded her head and stood up brushing off her skirt, "You're probably right." Resting her card on the table over one of his cards she whispered to him, "In case you are not… call me."

.

* * *

.

The neighbors were yelling at each other again loud enough to be heard as she walked home.

She stuffed her hands in her pockets and walked up the stairs to her apartment at the end of the hall.

She shut the door and leaned backwards sliding down to the ground. "What am I going to do?" She covered her eyes before hugging herself tightly trying to drown out the screams down the hall that rang through her head. She quit her job at the tea house when she got her internship. It paid shitty but so did serving tea. Now she had nothing at all, she needed to pay her rent and she hadn't even started looking for work yet. Her scholarships and grants just weren't enough.

The last thing she wanted to do was call her mother and ask for money. Her mom had been sending her small stipends here and there but it was enough to buy junk food or something cheaper. Her brother was still in Jr. High and he already had enough on his hands being the singular child exposed to her mother's viral sweetness and their grandfather's madness. He always asked her if she needed him to get a part time job and she always refused him.

Her phone went off and she closed her eyes when she flipped it open and answered it. Kikyou's voice caused her to start. "Do you have some weird sixth sense or something?"

"You're stressed."

"Tell me something new."

"No… you tell me something new."

Kagome snuggled into her sweater, "I've had the worst week…" She recanted everything that happened, all the shit she had to put up with for months, the perversion at work the stress of school and the morbid threats of Hojou. "I don't know what to do anymore." Kagome whispered.

"I'm sending you money."

"Kikyou I don't need you to do that."

"I already sent it for your birthday."

"My birthday isn't for a few more months."

"Surprise." Kikyou muttered blandly.

Kagome smiled. Her moody little friend was always the best person to talk to even though it took a lot to get a reaction out of her or even for her to talk back. Then the subject turned in a way she didn't know how to answer. "Hakudoushi?" She whispered his name when Kikyou inquired.

"You mentioned him once."

"So?"

"Aside from Hojou, you never say someone's name and that isn't a girl's name."

Hakudoushi. She sighed softly wondering where to start. "He's different."

"You mean he's a demon, like you."

Kagome shut her eyes, "Don't tell mom. She'll worry."

"Souta off limits too?"

"Especially Souta." Kagome exhaled his name her little brother would just think it was the 'coolest' thing in the world and flat out want to meet him. "Hakudoushi and I… we don't even talk about our nature. We just know and that's enough." After the Tokyo incident Kagome kept the Fuuyouheki close at all times. Her sensitivity to feeling youkai heightened and the further she left her small hometown the more she started feeling those pings of power on the edge of her senses. She had darted away from these youkai trying to stay in the shadows unheard, undetected knowing if they couldn't sense her they could sense her purification. It was hard due to her lack of coloring and height but in this day in age there were more than handful of people with bleach white hair or even worse concoctions.

Her new friend was so strategically colorless the entire focus of people's attention shifted to him. He had a giant following of sighing girls behind him already. Inasmuch as she couldn't sense him she was positive he couldn't sense her as well, but they just knew… it was a mutual unspoken understanding. Although they never spoke of it just knowing she wasn't alone helped; that not all demons are out to kill you.

"So, what are you going to do?"

Kagome drew little circles on the carpet. She would be lying to herself if she said she didn't have at least a little crush on him. "We're just friends."

"That's not what I'm talking about."

"Oh." Her current predicament.

"Kagome?"

"Hn?"

"The things I used to do… I did… because I had to survive."

"What are you telling me Kikyou?"

"Do whatever it takes to survive." Kikyou said before she hung up.

Kagome stared at the phone for a bit and shut her eyes she knew what she had to do.

.


	23. Twenty Three

She leaned forward into the elaborately adorned mirror puckering her lips as she added another layer of dark rouge. Leaning back she adjusted her corset. Her breath hitched as she tightened the cords, her breasts almost spilling over. After she was finished preening herself she turned to the younger debutant that had been patiently waiting to catch her attention.

"I put her in your office."

The woman scoffed as she fixed the feathers in her hair, "I don't take strays."

"Mistress you're going to want to see this one." The girl nervously whispered, "She may be one of _them_."

The mistress stopped and leaned back looking at her debutant. "Oh? Is she odd?"

"No." The girl whispered, "She's beautiful." She said dreamily.

Curious the woman headed into the office reaching out with both hands tossing aside the burgundy drapes. She stilled when she saw a six foot tall Japanese woman with pure white hair and deep blue eyes staring back at her nervously. A small smile formed on her ruby red lips as she neared the young woman. "Well well… what brings you here, lovely?"

Kagome wrung her hands together, "Doing whatever I can."

.

**To Wash it All Away**

**Twenty Three.**

.

"Doctor Ookoumori."

She stopped when someone called out her name. The petite doctor turned to see a very tall young man wearing a thick knit auburn sweater with matching skull cap leaning against a wall with his hands stuffed in his pockets apparently he had been waiting for her. She distinctly recognized who it was, his shoulder length pale blonde hair and sky blue eyes gave him away… well gave them away, "Which one are you?" When he grinned she knew whom she was speaking to, the twins were simply identical in every way conceivable except one and it was merely in personality. She tucked her clipboard under her arm and smiled, "Is it time for physical?"

He nervously shifted from one foot to another. "No, not really… remember what you told me last week… when you were at the office?"

Her smile faded, "Let's go into my office, its private." She looked up from the corner of her eye to a few camera's hanging in the corners of the hallways. She walked ahead of the tall young man through the sea of hallways and offices and the occasional patient being wheeled around to a long lone hallway which led to a set of metal doors that was barred and by appearances looked like a bank vault. Several warning signs were plastered around it. _'Biohazard testing facilities.'_ She leaned down and put her identification card hanging around her neck to the scanner and blinked her eyes several times, dark brown slowly fading to an unnatural color with an animal like slit in the middle. The retina scan accepted and eyes returned to their regular normal brown color.

The hallways were nothing but polished stainless steel there were no doors, no signs or indications to where they were going passing by some immense gouges along the metal walls that appeared like massive scratches. There was a singular door at the end that opened for her leading her down darker passage ways until she reached a small office between what appeared to be two massive water holding tanks.

The doctor motioned him to come inside with the nod of her head and he obliged. "It's about him… isn't it?"

The young man nodded his head.

Dr. Ookoumouri understood and shut the door keeping her hand on the polished steel, a look of concentration passed through her eyes before a shimmer of red started spreading from around her hand to the rest of the door and spreading around to the walls. It distorted everything underneath it, her hanging pictures and medical diploma's.

The young man touched her arm when she exhaled loudly, "Are you alright?"

"It's… been awhile." She reached up and waved her hand a bit as though inconsequential.

The man stared at her a bit, cocking his head to the side, "You're showing."

"Damn." She shut her eyes tightly and sucked in a deep breath and held it for a long while as her flesh tone evened out becoming paler than what she was born with, her eyes brown, her hair brown again. Opening her eyes she took a quick check in her compact mirror making sure she was… herself.

"How long has it been?" The young man asked having never seen her show herself before since he had known her.

"I lost track." She ran her fingers through her shoulder length hair pulling it back into a low ponytail fixing her askew glasses. "Twenty years or so." She took off her lab coat hanging it on the rack before sitting down at her immense seat. She looked at the young man before her that stared sternly at her. He was the youngest of the twins, and personal bodyguard to one Nandeska Taiyo Maru… her most stubborn patient. "Where is your brother?"

"I can't answer that." The twin rested his hand on her desk fingering the worn business card that had her name on it and nothing else beside her handwritten phone number.

"Okay." The doctor understood the older twin's role in the Taiyouheiki Corporation was more elusive. Still yet if there was someone closer to one of the most powerful businessmen in Kyoto it was the one before her. That he was here before her was telling, now if she could get him to tell her what was going on, "Kito… what happened?"

The younger man took off his hat and ran his fingers through his pale blonde hair, a few strands escaping from being tied back at the nape of his neck, "You won't tell him I was here… will you?"

"Nandeska?" She asked the younger demon nodded solemnly. "What did he do?"

"It's what he isn't doing." The young man whispered poking at the little stress ball she had on her desk. "He's regressing."

.

* * *

.

"Interns put their applications through personnel." The snippy woman bit at him as she smacked her gum, was filing her nails and was hugging her personal cell phone on her shoulder to her ear as she was leaning backwards in her chair, her heels resting on the counter. It was quite a feat of laziness and bitchiness rolled into one. She glared at him wondering what he was waiting for, "The application process takes three weeks… _through_ personnel."

Hojou looked down at his notecard, "I was sent by Professor Naga to speak to Miss Aishiro personally."

The woman stared at him for a full minute pausing her ritual before slowly putting on her headset and pressing a button on an elaborate phone. "Miss Aishiro has an intern asking to see her personally." Pause. "No he's not on the appointment list." Pause. "I told him to go to personnel." Pause. She glanced him over from head to toe making the student uneasy with the assessment, "He's okay… I wouldn't take him home though." Pause, not caring the shock in Hojou's eyes. "He said he was sent by Professor Naga." The secretaries eyebrows shot up and the nail file she had been holding fell to the ground. She pushed the button of her phone and sat forward looking up, "Miss Aishiro will see you now."

Hojou party smirked at the woman, his little triumph cut short when he looked around the elaborate lobby of glass windows and polished floor and potted plants as people rushed in and out in elaborate apparel, "Where exactly do I go?"

The woman sighed irritably and stood up. She was a short tiny thing with very tall stiletto heels that clicked loudly on the floor. Passing another elaborate hallway of the tower's main lobby she stopped in front of an elevator that was marked differently than any other by the coloring of the doors. Hojou stepped in beside the girl who glared at anyone trying to get in barking at them to find their own way up. Pressing a code in a panel with the tip of her three inch nails she stood there smacking her gum loudly through the whole ride up watching the numbers slowly rise.

Hojou stood stock still making sure he didn't make a noise or any movement in case she noticed him.

Suddenly after what seemed like the longest most uncomfortable elevator ride of his life the bell chimed and the doors opened. She walked out into what looked like an entire floor an acre in size that was surrounded by clear glass windows and polished floors with stylized couches and tables adorned with massive pots filled with a cornucopia of exotic flowers; along the ceiling at regular intervals hung wide screen televisions with various channels and programs running.

They came to a large office that was sectioned off from the rest of the open floor by glass windows. Hojou stared at the room, everything in it was white… the glass desk, the laptop, the file cabinet even the girl sitting behind the desk rightfully ignoring the both of them as she was typing furiously on her white laptop.

"Miss Aishiro… here he is." The secretary bowed, motioned the boy beside her and left.

Hojou stared at the girl. _'__This __is __Miss __Aishiro?__'_ She looked like a twelve year old girl! She was dressed in some white Lolita dress with large white bows holding her white hair in pigtails. He put his fist to his mouth and coughed. She stopped typing, looked up at him with pale pink eyes, glared at him, and then went back to her typing.

_._

**_A few hours later…_**

.

Hojou was sitting on the couch closest her office. For the millionth time he was wondering whether coming here was a bad idea. _'__Maybe __I __should __have __let __Higurashi __take __this __one.__'_ The girl would more than likely have been subjected to this treatment and that was the only thing that put a smile to his face. He already had an internship at a local bank but this was far more interesting, he couldn't let Kagome take this one.

The bitch had the best grade in the class, she was able to bag the internship at Taiyouheiki even though she quit a few days ago and he refused to let her take the next best. He couldn't rightly accuse Kagome of raising her ass in the air and flaunting it about but with her looks in this field she was able to get whatever she wanted. She wasn't the sweet girl he remembered years ago, she was a woman that was going to realize her own sexuality and eventually end up under the desk of some man in power. They always ended up there anyway. Women that looked like Kagome weren't sweet or nice they laughed at him and patted him on the head or lead him on until they got whatever they wanted and ditched him anyway.

'_Speaking __of __bitch__…'_ He glanced up to the glass office noting that Miss Aishiro was still typing at her computer. She'd not said anything at all to him and he decided she couldn't ignore him forever. This was a war of wills he was going to win.

He was so engrossed in glaring at her hoping to bore a hole in her forehead that he didn't notice someone approaching until she walked passed him. Hojou paused and looked at a woman dressed in red dress suit and heels with tens of shopping bags hanging from her arms as she was holding a cell phone to her ear talking to someone.

She stopped at the set of massive doors leading to an office bigger than Miss Aishiro's and not made with invisible glass walls. When he saw her fumbling for her keys unable to balance her shopping excursions and opening the door he stood up and walked over helping her hold her things as she wrestled the lock and flung open the door still talking on the phone. When she flipped on the lights to the office he was surprised at the massive area that had nothing to do with the outside decorum. It looked like a hunters lodge with the faux brick walls and elaborate fireplace with wooden archways. There were many framed programming awards along the walls and trophies on the mantle. The giant flat screens flipped to life with various channels and shows.

This woman must work for someone even higher up than Miss Aishiro. Hojou thought to himself standing still watching the woman peel off her coat tossing it on the couch.

"Uh huh." The woman muttered on her cell phone handing the boy some of her bags motioning him to set them on her elaborate desk. "Yeah… whatever." She glared at some unknown point. "Listen, my shares are worth a lot more than that. I don't want to buy your stupid company and make my company look bad with the acquisition I don't care if you're selling below cost, the answer is still no." She hung up the phone and sighed hard tossing the plastic contraption elsewhere. She looked up to see the young man standing there awkwardly at the door staring at her then looking down at his feet, "Who the hell are you anyway?"

Hojou snapped his eyes up to the taller woman dressed in red. Her short black hair was to her chin cut in an even perfect bob and she seemed quite young which was odd considering… he thought he heard that she _owned_ this company. Dark eyes stared at him and he coughed, "I am waiting for Miss Aishiro, I was sent to intern for her."

A single brow rose into her bangs as she sat at the edge of her desk and folded her arms.

"I should… go wait I guess.

"Who sent you?" She narrowed her eyes at him.

"Professor Naga." Hojou wanted to inch closer to the door and the way out.

"Naga's still alive?" The woman snorted. "Well I guess you should wait…" She turned her head to the side and looked to one monitor that had one of those popular programs that talked about nothing more than celebrities in the news. She stared at the report of one Nandeska Maru being spotted in the downtown districts tearing up a bar in the lower east side causing thousands of dollars in damage to property.

Hojou watched as she completely ignored him instead focusing all her attention on the program. There was a strange look to her eyes, something akin to… sadness? Hojou looked at the screen, "Maybe he's pissed all his female interns are filing a class action lawsuit." Her head slowly turned to him and he was pinned with the most intense dark eyes he had ever seen. "Um…"

"Now where did you hear that?"

"Ugh… one of my classmates walked out after being sexually harassed, the whole floor walked out after that."

She stood, "Interesting." After making a sweeping glance of him which left Hojou stunned and partly blushing she walked over and stood beside him resting her arm on his shoulder, "Intern huh? Well I think I can get Miss Aishiro's attention for you."

'_Getting __her __attention__'_ consisted of the woman snapping her fingers in front of the other girl's face causing the petite creature to blink a few times. "Hey wake up." The woman shut the laptop cutting her off from typing. Miss Aishiro slowly turned her head, the manner of which reminded Hojou of one of those creepy dolls in scary movies that ended up possessing you. A pretty doll, but fucking frightening none the less.

The woman motioned the tall young man beside her like some new set of curtains, "Look what I got you… an intern!"

Miss Aishiro's pale pink eyes narrowed at the sight of him, the only expression he had ever seen out of her yet was clear annoyance.

"Now play nice." The woman patted the young girl on the head leaning down giving the girl a loud kiss before walking out calling 'ta taaa!' over her shoulder.

Hojou kept still as he was pinned with the stalest stare anyone had ever bestowed on him. He had her full attention. "Um… hi?"

.

* * *

.

The elevator door opened and he noiselessly stalked out of it.

At the lack of sound from behind him he stopped and looked over his shoulder to the woman standing in the elevator nervously glancing at him and the hallway of dark wood and elaborate chandeliers with cornucopia of flowers and late season blooms.

She stood in a skin tight silver gown that hugged every inch of her figure, her long wavy black hair elaborately pinned up on one side and draping down her back. Her brown eyes darted back and forth and when she realized he was staring at her she stilled, eyes wide.

He sensed her unease, her nervousness but it wasn't directed at him.

After a moment she took a step forward as the door to the elevator closed. An expression of attentiveness flashed as she clutched her bag tightly.

His hazel eyes narrowed.

Sesshoumaru's eyes widened when he felt the pinprick of something on the back of his neck. He slowly turned to see someone come forward from the darkness, unnatural reflective eyes in the light stared back at him before she stepped forward. Her stern face and dark eyes stared back at him, empty syringe in hand. He reached up and rested his hand on the back of his neck, immediately noting how he had to concentrate just to raise his hand.

The woman he had encountered stepped forward, her body dissolving into dust as a tall man stepped forward, pale blonde hair hung about his shoulders, pale eyes staring down at him. "You." He was barely able to say that single word, the effort strained and exhausted him.

"Gomen nasai My Lord." He whispered. "I must do what I can… for you."

The people around him began to blur, the world began to darken.

Kito grasped his arms when the taiyoukai finally succumbed to the drug. Slowly his human façade began to fade away, black hair became white, rounded ears tipped and markings that had not existed before slowly began to form across his face. It was the face of his master… his lord, the taiyoukai of the western domains.

"He won't forgive me." The young man muttered as he took the taiyoukai's weight entirely.

"Probably not." The Doctor rested her hand on his arm softly staring at her lord master of the western lands, his clothing rent and bloody from the fight they had found the drunken demon engrossed in winning. The swat team with tear gas could not stop him, nor could several buildings amongst the other collateral damage. "But you did the right thing."

.


End file.
